UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
AT   LOS  ANGELES 


KONINGSMARKE, 


THE    LONG    FINNE, 


A  STORY 


OF  THE  NEW  WORLD. 


"  Tliis  afTuir  being  taken  into  consideration,  it  waj  adjudged  that  Koningimarkp, 
commonly  called  the  Long  Finnc,  deserved  to  die  ;  yet,  in  regard  that  many  concern- 
p.l  in  the  affVir  Mng  timj.le  and  ignorant  people,  it  was  thought  fit  to  order  that  the 
f.ong  Finu*  ih"'ild  be  severely  »»»**»#»*  »." 

'.   Fragment  of  Minutes  of  Council  in  New-  York, 


IN    TWO    VOLUMES. 
VOL.    I. 


NEW- YORK : 
rilARLES  WILEY,  NO.  3  WALL-STREET. 

Jnfmslone  &  FhnAWi/;.  I'.-intn-s, 



1823, 


Sew/Arm  Ditlricl  t/Ntie-Yorl,  n. 

-.;     BE  IT    REMEMBERED,  thi 

fr.rty -eighth  year  of  the  Independence  of  the  t  n 
nJ  Jutrict,  bilh  deposited  in  thii  ofcce 
b*  claims  as  proprietor,  in  the  werdi  following. 


( n  t'h»  eighth  day  of  Jvly,  in    lee 

d  St.tr,  of  America.  Char  In  MV.-. . 

he  title  of  a  book,  the  rifht  where'of 

•  it: 
he  New  World. 


K         f  >mirke,  the  Loaf  Finne,  a  Story  of 
"  '  Thu  affair  btiiif  taken  into  consideration,   t  wn  adjod^d   that  Koniaffunirke. 
cnmmool/  called  the  LOB;  Finne,  dr<-  .in  rr^ird  that  many  concern 

-ir.f  iimple  aad  ifaorant  people,  it  was  thought  £t  to  order  that  the 
I  lane  should  b«  screrel/  •••••!•••  •.'....Frafnunt  of  M>**lei  of  Co*»- 

• '..    In  two  Tolumn. 

I         »f.,rnutj  to  the  Act  of  the  Confresa  of  the  United  Rut",  tntitirJ,  "An  Act 
rncnun/remrtt   al   l^irnin^,    by    secuhni;  the  copies  of  Maps,  Cbarts,  and 
to  the  authors  and  proprietors  of  such  copies,  Johns;  the  time  tbrrein  n .• 
i  also  to  an  Act  entitled,  "An  Act,  supplementary  to  an  Act,  entitled,  an 
•ungcment  of  Lesrnintr.  IT  i-  <*.  and 

to  the  authors  and  proprietors  of  such  copies,  during  the  times  therein  mar- 
sad  eiteudinf   the  heneiti   thereof  to  the  arts  of  designing-,  ecgrsTing  and 
• ;  a."f  isjmii  il  aad  aiWr  rnau, 

.T  \MKi    I'll  I 
Clrrko/lkt  Setilktr*  iHtind  of  Acr-  York. 


KONINGSMARKE, 

THE    LONG    FINNE. 

BOOK  FIRST. 
I 

CHAPTER  I. 

IN  order  that  our  readers  and  ourselves  nia\ 
at  once  come  to  a  proper  understanding,  we  will 
confess,  without  any  circumlocution,  that  we  sat 
down  to  write  this  history  before  we  had  thought 
of  any  regular  plan,  or  arranged  the  incidents, 
being  fully  convinced  that  an  author  who  trusts 
to  his  own  genius,  like  a  modern  saint  who  re 
lies  solely  on  his  faith,  will  never  be  left  in  tiio 
lurch.  Another  principle  of  ours,  which  we  have 
seen  fully  exemplified  in  the  very  great  suc(  es$ 
of  certain  popular  works,  advertised  for  publi 
cation  before  they  were  begun  to  be  written,  is. 
that  it  is  much  better  for  an  author  to  comment  i- 
hi.s  work,  without  knowing  how  it  is  to  end,  than 

VOL.  i.  1 


'»  -MAHK1.. 

to  hamper  him.-elf  with  a  regular  plot,  a  ,-u. 
-ion   of  prepared  incidents,   and  a  premedit 
eata-trophe.      Thi-.  we  hold  to  bean  error  little 
.  than  to  tie  the  legs  of  a  dancing  nin-ter.  to 
make  him  caper  the  more  gracefully,  or  pinion 
a  man's  arms  behind  his  back,  a-  a  preparatixi 
to  a  boxin-  match.      In  -hort.  it  is  taking  awax . 
b\  a  -ort  of  literary /e/o  de  se,  all  that  free  will 
that  perfect  liberty  of  imagination  and  inventio 
which  causes  us  writers    to  curvet  so  graceful 
in  the  fertile  fields  of  hi-torical  fiction. 

\iiother  sore  obstacle  in  the  way  of  the  fi 

mi-,  i-  for  a  writer  of  historical  no- 

\\e  haxe  reason  to  suspect  this  will 

turn  out  to  be.  to  embarrass  his  invention  by  an 

abject    submission    to    chronology,    or    confine 

iiim-elf  only  to  the  introduction  of  such  charac- 

"iid  incidcnt>  a- really  existed  or  took  pi 
within  the  limit.- of  time  and  space  comprised  in 
-roumlwork  of  hi-  story.      Nothing  can  be 
more  evident  than  that  tlii-  -([ii<"itm-liiie--  of  tin- 
author  must  materially   interfere  with   the    in- 
'    and   variety  of  his   work,  -ii,-  of- 

ten  happen-,  there  should  be  wanting  great  cha- 
r  greal  <  \tnt-.  coming  lawfully  within 
the   i  •:ii]tri.-fd   in  the  said  hi-tory.    the 

MgHIr  will  lie  nroporti-  •  in  hi-  in  i- 


KONINGSMARKF.. 

lerials.  To  be  scared  by  a  trifling  anachronism, 
in  relation  to  things  that  have  passed  away  a 
century,  or  ten  centuries  ago,  is  a  piece  of  lite 
rary  cowardice,  similar  to  that  of  the  ignorant 
clown,  who  should  be  frightened  by  the  ghost 
of  some  one  that  had  been  dead  a  thousand 
years. 

So  far,  therefore,  as  we  can  answer  for  our- 
selves  in  the  course  of  this  history,  we  honestly 
advertise  the  reader,  that  although  our  hero  is 
strictly  an  historical  personage,  having  actually 
lived  and  died,  like  other  people,  yet  in  all  other 
respects,  not  only  he,  but  every  character  in  the 
work,  belongs  entirely  to  us.  We  mean  to  make 
them  think,  talk  and  act  just  as  we  like,  and 
without  the  least  regard  to  nature,  education  or 
probability.  So  also  as  respects  the  incidents 
of  our  history.  We  intend,  at  present,  reserving 
to  ourselves,  however,  the  liberty  of  altering  our 
plan  whenever  it  suits  us  in  the  course  of  our  la 
bours,  to  confine  our  labours  to  no  time  nor  place, 
but  to  embody  in  our  work  every  incident  or 
adventure  that  falls  in  our  way,  or  that  an  inti 
mate  knowledge  of  old  ballads,  nursery  tales,' 
and  traditions,  has  enabled  us  to  collect  together. 
In  short,  we  are  fully  determined,  by  the  ex- 
>nnple  of  a  certain  Great  Unknown,  that  so  long 


KONUVGSMARKE, 

:i»  we.  holil  the  pen,  we  will  never  be  deterred 
i'roni  sei/iiiu  any  romantic  or  improbable  adven 
ture,  by  any  weak  apprehension  that  people  will 

(|ii:irrel  with  us  because  they  do  not  follow  on  in 
the  natural  course,  or  hang  together  by  an\ 
probable  connexion  of cau>e  and  effect. 

Another   (Ifterinination  of  ours,  of  which  we 
think  it  fair  to  apprize  the  reader,    is,  tliat  we 
shall      strenuously    endeavour     to     avoid     an 
intercourse,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  wi 
that  bane  of  true  geniu>,  coiiiinonly  called  com 
mon  sense.      We  look  upon  that  species  of  vul 

immpkin  capacity,  :c>  little  better  than  thr 
in.-tinct  of  animal-;  a--  the  greatest  pot  of  aii- 
thor.-hip  that  e\  er  exn-ei-fd  jni-ixliction  in  tin 
tield-  of  literatun-.  It<  \erv  name  i^  snllieient  t« 
indicate  the  al>Mirdit\  ofper-on-  Ntri\ijm  l<>  pro 
duce  an\  tiling  iincoiinnon  l»y  an  abject  submi-- 
Bion  tO  1U  dictates.  It  -liall  al^o  be  our  e-peri;d 

.  10  a\oid   the  uncleiit,  but    nearl\   exploded 

>r.  of  >iippo-i!iii  that  either  nature  or  proba 
bility  i-  in  an\\\i>e  nee  essar}  to  the  interest  of  a 

u   of  iiuauination.      \Ve   intend  that   all  0111 

principal  character-  -hall  induce  in  a>  inan\  in- 

con»i>teucie>  and  t  (  ceinriciiie-,   a-  \\  ill  >uliice  (o 

inal  -onic\\hal     in  .    beini:    aim 

--iin-d  tint  your  -nlnr.  rational  mortal-. 


KONINGSMARKE.  9 

who  act  from  ordinary  impulses,  "and  pursue  a 
course  of  conduct  sanctioned  by  common  sense, 
ore  no  better  than  common-place  people,  entire!}' 
unworthy  the  addition  of  an  author,  or  hi:- 
readers.  It  is"  for  this  special  reason  that 
we  have  chosen  for  our  scene  of  action,  a  for- 
.u'otten  village,  and  for  our  actors,  an  obscure 
colony,  whose  existence  is  scarcely  known. 
;ind  the  incidents  of  whose  history  are  sufficient- 
Is  insignificant  to  allow  us  ample  liberty  in  giv 
ing  what  cast  and  colouring  we  please  to  their 
manners,  habits  and  opinions.  And  we  shall 
make  free  use  of  this  advantage,  trusting  to  the 
t'\;unple  of  the  great  writer  to  whom  we  before 
alluded,  that  the  good-natured  public  will  give 
n>  full  credit  for  being  most  faithful  delineators 
of  life  and  manners.  Great  and  manifold  are  the 
Advantages  arising  from  choosing  this  obscure 
period.  The  writer  who  attempts  to  copy  exist 
ing  life  and  manners,  must  come  in  competi 
tion,  and  undergo  a  comparison  with  the  origi- 
n;il>.  which  he  cannot  sustain,  unless  his  picture 
be  correct  and  characteristic.  But  with  regard  to 
a  state  of  society  that  is  become  extinct,  it  is  like 
painting  the  unicorn,  or  the  mammoth; — give 
»he  one  only  a  single  horn,  and  make  the  other 


10  EOK1NOSVA&KK. 

<>nh    bitf   rnouch,    and    tin-  likene-,  will    be   n 
•vived  a-  perfei  i. 

(  Yrt;tiu  ca\iller»,  who  pretend  to  be  the  ad\o- 

-  of  truth,  ha\e  -tremmu>l^  objected  to  the 
present  fashion  of  erectinu  ;i  .>nper-tructure  of 
fiction  on  ;i  lj;i-i>  of  Ihct,  \\  liich  tlic\  >av  i<  ron- 
roundint;-  trutli  with  falsehood  in  tin-  mind-  <>i 
youthful  readers.  Hut  \ve  look  upon  this  olijtv.- 
tioii  a-  jirrfivtlv  frivolou>.  It  i-annot  lie  denied 
that  such  a  mixture  of  history  and  romance  i-  e\- 

:in<i-!y  jialatablr;  >ince,  if  the  figure  may  In 

allowed  u-,  truth  i-  the  meat,  and  fiction  the  va]t, 

v.  hich  uivt  -  it  a  /<  ,t,  and  jir-  serVM  it  from  jieri-h- 

So,  also,  a  little  emliellishment  \\  ill  -a\  e  ( -er- 

i  i in  in^iirnilicant  »  \  eiit-  from  lieiiiu  entirely  lo>t  or 

•  tien  in  the    lapse   of  time.      Hence  ue  find 

young  people,  who  turn   with    di-^u-'.  from  the 

>oli(i  dulne.s>  of  purr  matter  of  fart  history,  de- 

\t»nrii)Lr  with  \a->t  a\idity  those  delectable  mixed 

di-he-,  and  thus  acquiring  a  knowlrdtie  <if  hi>tn- 

Ahich,  though  we  coulees    -ome\\hat    arlult**- 
4'ated.  i-  better  than   nonr   at    all.      l>e-ide>  thi>. 
\    leai-iied   per-on-   are   o('  opinion   that    all 
Jii>tory   i-  in  it>elf  little  lietter  than   a   romance., 
mo-t  e>jirciall\  that  part  wherein  hi-torian-  j>re- 
to  detail  the  M-rvn  inoiives  of  niuiuirch-:  and 


KOMNGSMARKE.  11 

their  ministers.     One  who  was  himself  an  old 
^talesman,  writes  thus : 

-  How  oft,  when  great  affairs  perplex  the  brain? 
Of  mighty  politicians,  to  conjecture 
From  whence  sprung  such  designs,  such  revolution*. 
Such  exaltations,  such  depressions,  wars  and  crime*. 
Our  female  Machiavels  would  smile  to  think 
1  low  closely  lurking  lay  the  nick  of  all 
In  some  such  trifle  as  a  woman's  spleen, 
Or  statesman's  empty  pride,  or  passing  whim." 

Such,  the.n,  being  the  case  with  history,  we  think 
it  a  marvellous  idle  objection  to  this  our  mode  of 
writing,  to  say  that  it  is  falsifying  what  is  true^ 
-ince  it  is  onfy  sprinkling  a  little  more  fiction 
with  it,  in  order  to  render  it  sufficiently  natural 
and  entertaining  to  allure  the  youthful  and  ro 
mantic  reader. 

Before  concluding  this  introductory  chapter, 
which  is  to  be  considered  the  key  to  our  under 
taking,  we  will  ask  one  favour  of  the  reader.  It 
is,  that  if  on  some  occasions  we  shall,  in  the 
course  of  this  work,  appear  somewhat  wiser  in 
various  matters,  than  comports  with  the  period 
of  our  history,  and  at  other  times  not  so  wise  as 
we  oui;ht  to  be,  he  will  in  the  one  case  ascribe  it 
to  the  total  inability  of  authors  to  refrain  from 
telling  what  they  know,  and  in  the  other,  to  an 


KONINGSMARKE. 

•  •xtraordinan  exertion  of  modesty,  by  \\hicli  u« 
t-nablrd,   at   that  particular  moment,  to  re* 

the  Hl'rne-cence  of  our  kmwledue. 
Finally,  in  order  that  the  reader  may  devour 
«>nr  \\ork  with  a  proper  zest,  we  hereby  assure 
him,  (in confidence,*)  tliat  our  bookseller  has  co- 
\fu;tntcd  and  agreed  to  pay  us  ten  thousand  dol 
lar-  in  Kentucky  bank  notr>.  j)ro\id«-d  tin-  -ale  ol 
it  >hould  justify  such  inordinate  irmrrnsiu  .     \N « 
\\ill  now  pluntr*-  directly  into  the   thicker  (.»f'oin 
adventure^,  having  thus  happily  got  over  tin-  tir-t 
\\liich  i-  h»-ld  to  be  half  the  battle. 


CHAPTER  II. 


Peter  Piper  pick'd  a  peck  of  pickled  peppers. 

Where  is  the  peck  of  pickled  peppers  Peter  Piper  pick'd  ?" 


THE  curious  traveller  along  the  western  bank 
of  the  Delaware  river,  will  hardly  fail  to  notice 
some  few  scattered  remains,  such  as  parts  of  old 
walls,  and  fragments  of  chimneys,  which  indicate 
where  once  stood  the  famous  fort  and  town  of 
Elsingburg,  one  of  the  earliest  settlements  of 
the  Swedes  in  this  country.  The  precise  spot 
these  ruins  occupy  we  shall  not  point  out,  since 
it  is  our  present  intention  to  give  such  an  ac 
curate  description,  that  it  cannot  be  mistaken  by 
a  reader  of  common  sagacity. 

At  the  time  this  history  commences,  that  is  to 
say,  somewhere  about  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth 
rciitury,  a  period  of  very  remote  antiquity  consi 
dering  the  extreme  juvenility  of  our  country,  tin- 
important  little  post  was  governed  by  the  Heer 
Peter  Piper,  a  short  thickset  person,  of  German 
parentage,  whose  dress,  rain  or  shine,  week  day? 
•  »r  Sundays,  in  peace  or  war,  in  winter  and  sum- 


mer.ua>  a -nit  of  olive-colon  red  \el\  it.  ornament 
ed  with  ebony  buttons.  \  v  -till  preserved  in 
the  Piper  family,  r  him  with  a  round. and 
-omewhat  full  face,  a  uood  deal  wrinkled;  -tnrdy 
-hort  leir-.thin  at  the  ankle-,  and  redundant  at  the 

•  •s.sneh  a-  we  -eldoin  -ee  no\\.ula\  B,  <incetli- 
horrible  imention  of  loo.-e  trow-er>,  \\hich  ren 
der-  it  entirely  nnnere--ar\  that  nature  >hould 
ial  pain-  with  that  part  of  the  ani 
mal  man  :  -toed  -line-,  and  -i|iiare  luickle- 
of  a  \ellowi-h  hue.  hiu  whether  of  irold  or  I 
i-  impo--ihle  to  decide  at  this  remote  period. 

•*\ould  uise  the  uorld,  that  is  to  say,  all  that 
part  of  it  which  is  at  piv-ent  in  our  po-se--inii. 
namely,  a  magnificent  castle  in  the  air,  to  be  able 
to  satisfy  the  doubts  of  our  readers  in  respect  to 
the  problem  whether  the  Heer  Peter  Piper  wore  a 
cocked  hat.  But  a^  the  painter,  with  an  unpar 
donable  neirliiieiice.  and  a  total  di-reuanl  t«>  po  — 
terit\.  hi-  rlioMii  to  represent  him  bareheaded, 
v\e  can  onl\  -a\ ,  that  hi-  head  ua-  ordinaril\ 
vered  with  a  thick  crop  of  hair  that  curled  rather 

>bedly  aboitt  itis  forehead  and  ear-.  It  Irnh 
been  aptly  remarked  by  close  observers  of  human 
nature,  that  tin-  -per'u-s  of  petulant  curl,  i-  almo-i 

i  (variable  concomitant  of  an  irritable,  te-i\ . 
uper,  which,  as  it  J-JH  ami 


KONINGSMARKE.  I O 

carls  about  after  a  similar  manner  with  the  said 
hair. 

Certain  it  is  that,  whatever  exceptions  may  oo 
»-ur  to  the  general  rule,  the  Heer  Piper  was  not 
one  of  them,  he  being,  as  the  course  of  our  his 
tory  will  fully  substantiate,  an  exceeding  little 
tyrant,  that  fell  into  mortal  passions  about  no 
thing,  broke  his  nose  over  every  straw  that  lay  in 
his  way,  and  was  seldom  to  be  found  in  any 
sort  of  good  humour,  except  when  he  had  swore 
vengeance  at  every  soul  that  excited  his  wrath. 
Indeed,  to  say  truth,  he  was  one  of  those  bluster 
ing  little  bodies,  who  differ  entirely  from  those 
who  are  said  to  be  no  heroes  to  their  valet-de- 
rhambre,  since  it  was  said  of  him  that  he  was  ;i 
hero  to  nobody  else,  but  his  servants  and  depend 
ants,  whom  he  bullied  exceedingly.  The  good 
people  of  Elsingburgh  called  him,  behind 
his  back,  Pepper  Pot  Peter,  in  double  allu 
sion  to  the  fiery  nature  of  his  talk,  and  his  fond- 
tor  the  dish  known  among  our  ancestors  b\ 
that  name,  and  remarkable  for  its  high  seasoning. 
Tlic  distich  placed  at  the  head  of  this  chapter^ 
\\:is  made  upon  the  Heer  Peter,  by  a  wag  of  the 
day,  who  excelled  in  alliterative  poetry,  and  of 
whom  we  shall  say  more  anon,  if  we  do  not  for- 
L-ff  it  in  the  multiplicity  of  adventure-  \\e  intend 


to  incorporate  into  thi-  true  history.      Hut  a-  w< 
mean  to  leave  a  tjood  part  of  our  work  to  tin 
imagination  of  tin*  reader  to  supply    to   the  be-i 
of  hi- abilities,  we   will  let    the  character   of  Go 
vernor   Piper   develop    itself  in    his   future   con 
duct,  and  proceed  \\ith  our  -to; 

One  -ultry  -uiiuuer  altrrnoon  in  tin-  month  ol 
•hil\ ,  tin-  Hivr  I'ctcr  lia\  iim  fnii-hcd  his  dinner  1>\ 
f>n«'  o'clock,  \\:is  -ittinu  in  lii>  irrt-at  arm  rhair. 
under  the  shade  of  a  nolile  elm,  the  stump  of 
which  is  still  to  he  seen,  and  hein^:  hollow. 
-  for  a  notable  pi^  -t\,  vmokintr  bis  pipe  ;i- 
v\a-  hi-  cii-tom,  and  niminatintr  in  that  luxiiriou- 
-tate  of  imbecility  between  -leepin^;  and  uakiti-z. 
'I'he  river  in  front  spread  out  into  an  e\pan-i\« 
hike,  ^mooth  and  bright  as  a  lookincr  ulass ;  the 
.-huim  almost  lifeleM  to  the  trees,  for  there 

v\a-  not  a  breath  of  air  -tirrinir  ;  tlie  cnttlt 
stood  midway  in  the  water-,  lasliimr  the  flie- 
!a/ilv  with  their  tail- ;  the  turke\-  Miuuht  tin 
-hade  with  their  bills  wide  open,  ira-pina;  for 
breath  ;  and  all  nature,  animate  as  well  ;i>  in 
animate,  di-|)la\ed  thru  lassitude  which  is  tin 

.  i|l]ence  of   e\ci  —i\  e  heat. 
The  llerr   .-at    with     hi-    i\e-    (  lo-ed,     and    We 

v\i!l  not  -wear  that  he  \va-  not  :.t  thi-  precise  mo- 
•  p.  ahhouerh  the  -moke  of  hi-  pipe 


KOMNGSMARKE.  IT 

•jtill  continued  to  ascend  at  regular  intervals,  i« 
a   perpendicular    column,   inasmuch  as  it   wa? 
affirmed  by  Wolfgang   Langfanger,  and  some 
others  of  his  friends  and  counsellers,  that  the 
Heer  Peter  did  sometimes  smoke  somewhat  in 
stinctively,  as  a  man  breathes  in  his  sleep.    How 
ever  this  may  be,  whether  sleeping  or  waking,  the 
Governor  was  suddenly  roused  by  the  intrusion  of 
one  Lob  Dotterel,  a  constable  and  busybody,  who 
considered  himself,  in  virtue  of  his  office,  at  full 
liberty  to  poke  his  proboscis  into  every  hole  and 
corner,  and  to  pry  into  the  secret  as  well  as 
public  actions  of  every  soul  in  the  village.    It  is 
astonishing  what  a  triumph  it  was  to  Lob  Dot 
terel,  to  catch  any  body  tripping ;  he  considered 
it  a  proof  of  his  vigilance  and  sagacity.     And 
here,  lest  the  reader  should  do  Master  Dotterel 
wrong,  in  supposing  that  the  prospect  of  bribes 
or  fees  herein  stimulated  him  to  activity,  we  will 
aver  it  as  our  belief,  that  he  was  governed  by  no 
such  sordid   motive,   but  acted   upon  a  similar 
instinct  with  that  of  a  well-bred  pointer  dog, 
who  is  ever  seen  wagging  his  tail  with  great 
delight  when  he  brings  in  game,  although   hr 
neither  expects  to  be  rewarded,  or  to  share  in 
the  spoil,  at  least  so  far  as  we  have  been  able  to 
penetrate  his  motives  of  action. 
VOL.  i.  2 


J8 

Master  Dotterel  wai  backed  on  tli> 

.ifore-aid,  h\  one  Re-tore  Cioslin^.  and  Ala>ti>, 
Oldale,  keeper  of  the  Indian  Queen,  the  mo-i 
fashionable,  not  to  -a\  the  only  ta\ern,  in  the  vil- 

lageofElsingburgb.    These  three  worthieffhad  HI 

ruMody a  tall,  straight) light-complexioned,  hlur- 
c\rd  \oiitli,  \\lin  signified  his  ronu-inpt  for  tlif 
urru^ation,  \\liale\cr  it  iniulit  he,  the  con-tahle. 
Ma-ter  He>tore  Cio-lint:,  iNIa-Jter  Oldale,  and 
the  Hi-cr  1'fter  hiinselt',  hy  rul)hinu  his  rliin  on 
citlit^r  >ide  \\itli  his  thuinh  and  fniLTr-.  and 
vvhi>tlini:  Vanker  Doodle,  or  any  other  tune  th;i1 
doth  not  imulve  a  horrihle  anachronism. 

There  are  three   tliiiiu-    a  real    LTenuine 
man   cannot  hear,  to  wit  : — to   do  bu>inos  alter 

dinner — to  he   di>turhed  in  his   meditation or 

to  >u>j>eet  that  tin-  little  people  behm  him  do  not 
think  him  so  ureat  a  jier-on  a>  he  i-  inclined  t«. 
think  himself.  All  thesi-  causes  combined  to  put 
the  Heer  Peter  in  a  had  humour,  insomuch  that 
he  privately  communed  with  him>elf  that  h« 
would  tickle  tin-  \vhistlini:,  chin-scrapinc  >trip- 

••  Well,  culprit,"  cried  the  Ilecr,  « itli  a  formi 
dable  aspect  of  authority — "  \Vell,  culj)rit,  what 
i- \otir  crime  r  1  can  see  with  half  an  eye  yoii'rt- 

no  brttrr  than  vou  •honkl  1 


KOMNGSMAUKE,  19 

"That's  no  more  than  may  be  said  of  most 
people,  I  believe,"  answered  the  youth,  with  great 
composure. 

"Answer  me,  sirrah,"  quoth  the  Heer,  "what 
fs  thy  crime,  I  say?" 

"  Ask  these  Gentlemen,"  said  the  other. 

"What — eh!  you  can't  confess,  hey!  an  old 
offender  I  warrant  me.  I'll  tickle  you  before 
I've  done  with  you.  What's  thy  name — whence 
came  you — and  whither  art  thou  going,  cul 
prit?" 

"My  name,"  replied  the  fair  tail  youth,  "  i> 
Koningsmarke,  surnamed  the  Long  Finne  ;  I 
came  from  the  Hoarkill,  and  I  am  going  to  jail. 
I  presume,  if  I  may  augur  aught  from  your 
Excellency's  look,  and  the  hard  names  you  are 
pleased  to  bestow  on  me." 

Nothing  is  so  provoking  to  the  majesty  of  a 
great  man,  as  the  self-possession  of  a  little  one. 
Tlie  Heer  Peter  Piper  began  to  suspect  that  the 
Long  Finne  did  not  stand  in  sufficient  awe  of  hi> 
•  li unity  and  authority,  a  suspicion  than  which 
nothing  could  put  him  in  a  greater  passion.  He 
addressed  Master  Dotterel,  and  demanded  to 
know  for  what  offence  the  culprit  was  brought 
before  him,  in  a  tone  which  Lob  perfectly  under 
stood  as  encouragement  not  to  suppress  any  part 


K  f,  N 

•  >fthe  prisoner's  guilt.     Lol)  hereupon  referred 
flu-  Heer  to  Master  Oldale,  who  referred  him  to 
>!•»•  Gos-liiiM-,  who  had  laid  the   information. 
This     apparent    disposition     to    shift    the     oni/* 
H  eau-ed  additional   wrath    in    the    Heer, 
li"i:aii  to  tremble  lest  the  Long  Finne  might 
him  the  >lip,  and  e>rape  th»-  consequences  of 
ontempt  of  authority .     He  thundered  forth 
•Mimand   to   Co-ling   to   state   nil    he     knew 
:ist  the  culprit;  laying  hard  emphasis  on  the 

•1." 

Master  Gosling,   ntter  divers  scratches  of  the 

my  I^ord  Byron  indultreth  in  when 

he  writeth  pi>.  i  himself  toirether,  and 

-aid  as  follows — not   deposed,  for  the  Heer  held 

it  an  unriue  indulgence  to  prisoners,  to  put  the 

will;  iiiM    them   to   their  bible  oath. — 

d,  that    he    had    >een    tlu 

MM'im  man,  who  called  him-elf  Koningsmarke. 
or  the  Lontr  Finne,  take  out  of  his  pocket  a  hand- 
full  of  .Mark  .New  by  "s  halfpence,  or,  as  it  \\a- 
commonly  called.  /',/?'.*  halfpence,  which  ever\ 
WAS  prohibited  being  brought  into 
rlie  dommioii  it  n,  under  penalty  of  con- 

'ion  of  the  money;   one  half  to  the  informer. 
«nd  the  other  half  to  his    Sacred   Maj. 


KONINGS-MABKK.  2\ 

King  of  Sweden,  Denmark,  Norway,  and  tin- 
Goths. 

"Ho,  ho!"  exclaimed  the  Heer,  rubbing  his 
hands;  "this  looks  like  conspiracy  and  plot  with 
a  vengeance.  I  should  not  be  surprised  if  the 

Pope  and  the of  Babylon  were  at  the 

bottom  of  this."  And  here  we  will  remind  the 
reader  that  this  was  about  the  time  that  the  manu 
factory  of  plots,  Popish  and  Presbyterian,  Meal 
Tub  and  Rye  House,  flourished  so  luxuriantly, 
under  the  fruitful  invention  of  Shaftesbury,  Oates, 
Tongue,  Dugdale,  Bedlow  and  others."  Now  the 
I  leer  Peter  always  took  pattern  after  the  old 
countries,  insomuch  that  whenever  a  plot  came 
out  in  England,  or  elsewhere,  he  forthwith  got 
up  another  at  Elsingburgh,  as  nearly  like  it  as 
possible.  In  one  word,  he  imitated  all  the 
pranks,  freaks  and  fooleries  of  royalty,  as  an  apjo 
does  those  of  a  man.  At  the  period,  too,  which 
this  history  is  about  to  commemorate,  there  were 
frn-iblejealousies  and  heart-burnings  betwixt  the 
n-presentatives  of  royalty  in  the  adjoining  or 
neighbouring  colonies  of  New-Jersey,  Pensylva- 
tiiu,  Maryland,  New-York,  and  Connecticut, 
The  different  monarch^  of  Europe,  had  not  onjy 
£iven  away  with  astonishing  liberality  what  did 
not  belong  to  them,  in  this  new  world,  but  givejj 
2* 


it  away  over  and  over  again  to  different  per 
<o  that  it  wa-  in  \t  to  impossible  either -to  settlt 
the  boundaries  of  the  various  grants,  or  to  as- 
tin  wlio  was  the  real  proprietor  of  the  soil 
V  KI  the  Indian-,  they  were  out  of  the  que>tion 
Vnv,  though  these  trarts  were,  ninety-nine  purl 
in  a  hundred,  a  perfect  wilderness,  and  the  nuni- 
af  inhabitants  as   one  to  a  hundred  squan 
miles,  yet  did  these  potentates,   and  especially 
vernors,  feel  great  solicitude  lest  thej 
Oiould  be  in  no  little  time  stinted  for  elbow-room 
v  were,  consequent!)  ,  always  l>icki  ring  abom 
boundaries  and  disputing  every   inch  of  wilder- 
most   manfully,  by  protest  and  appeal  tc» 
thin^  hut  arms. 

Tlie    HUT     I'ipe  :;»-d   a    territory  by 

right  of  i :  .grant,  possession,  and  what  not. 

what   larger  than    Sweden,  and  which,   at 
the    time    of   this    writing,    contained   exactly 
(by    census)    three     hundred    and    sixty-eight 
\clu>i\e  of  Indian.-*.        It    is     therefore 
little   to  be    wondered   at,  if,  beinc  as  he  wa*. 
i    Ion.; -headed     man,    metaphorically     >peak- 
ld  iieuin  to  look  out  in  time  for  thr 
comfort  of  the   immcn.-e  population,   which  In 
foresaw  must  -pcidilv  be  pressed  for  room.     Hi- 
'  of  course  coiHimially  sfjuintii: 


tONINCSMARKE.  3 

his  neighbours,  most  especially  the  Quakers  at 
Coaquanock,  and  the  Roman  Catholics,  who 
about  this  time  settled  at  St.  Mary's  under 
Leonard  Calvert.  He  therefore  pricked  up  his 
ears,  and  smelt  a  plot,  at  the  very  sound  of 
Mark  Newby's  halfpence,  a  coin  then  circula~ 
ring  in  West  Jersey  and  Coaquanock,  and  forth 
with  set  down  the  Long  Finne  as  an  emissary 
from  the  Quakers,  who,  he  swore,  although  they 
would  not  fight,  had  various  ways  of  getting  pos- 
-ession  of  his  territories,  much  more  effectual 
than  arms.  Moreover,  he  abhorred  them  be 
cause  they  would  not  pull  off  their  hats  to  the 
representative  of  Gustavus  Adolphus,  and,  as  he 
-tftirmed,  were  a  people  who  always  expected 
manners  from  others,  although  they  gave  none 
themselves.  In  addition  to  these  causes  of  dis- 
uust,  it  was  rumoured,  that  his  Excellency  tht- 
Heer,  being  once  riding  out  near  Coaquanock. 
met  a  Quaker  driving  a  great  wagon,  and  who 
refusing  to  turn  either  to  the  right  or  to  the  left* 
rendered  it  necessary  for  Peter  Piper  to  at 
tempt  to  pass  him,  by  the  which  his  buggy  wa> 
overset,  and  himself  precipitated  into  a  slough 
i  ,et  me  tell  the  reader,  that  trifles  less  than 
ilVse  have  more  than  once  set  mankind  to£Ctlv- 


J4  KONINGsMARKK. 

vr  by  the  ear.-,  and  cau-ed  the  river-  of  the  earth 
'•I  run  red  with  blood. 

l'nder  tlie  influence  of   thc.-e  statesmanlike 

view-,  jealou.-ic-.  antij);ithie-.  and   \vhat  not,  the 
H< »  T  \ieued  the  possession  of  such  a  quantiu 
''lark  \ewh\\  halfpence  as  a  suspicious  cir- 
Mim-tance,   and  indeed   had    little   doubt,   in  hi^ 
on  n  mind,  that  the  Long  Finne  had  come  into 
-••ttleinrnt  to  seduce   it  from  \\<  allegiance  to 
the  ere  at  ( Ju-tav  u-,bv  actual   Ijribery.  The  read 
er  nra\   -mile   at   tin-  idea   of  corrupting  a  com 
munity  \vith   halfpence,  now  when  paper  mone> 

0  plrnty  that  dollar-  fly  about  like  may-llie- 
in  the  -print: ,  and  that  it  sometimes  actually  ta  k 
hundred  of  thr-e  to  purchase  a  man's  conscience. 
IJut  \ve  will  make  bold  to  tell  him,  hi-  .-mile  on- 

\  8  an  utter  ignorance  of  the  simplicity  of 
time-,  when  a  penny  \\a<  deemed  equal  to 
-i\  \\h'tt<-  and  four  black   wampnm  ;   and  a  tract 
•  tl'land,  laru'i-r  than  a  (n-rman  princi|)alit\ ,  \\ 
out-  lime  purcha-rd  inr  sixty  tobacco-boxes,  one 
hundred  and  twenty   pipe-,  one   hundred  .It 
harp-,    and    a   quantity  of  red   paint.       It    hath 

1  -iirewdly  ob-erved,  that    the   value  of'  mo- 
ne\    i-euulate-  the  con-cience-  of  men,  a-  it  doc.- 
.-\er\  other  article  of  trade,  >o  that  the  suspicion 
..f  <M.>\ernov  Piper  WH-  not  quiti-  -o  ridiculon-  n- 


KONINGSMARKE.  2a 

many  ignorant  readers  may  be  inclined  to  sup 
pose  at  first  sight.  This  explanation  we  afford 
gratuitously,  hinting,  at  the  same  time,  that  as  it 
is  no  part  of  our  plan  to  make  things  appear  pro 
bable,  or  actions  consistent,  we  shall  not  often 
display  a  similar  disposition  to  account  for  what 
happens. 

"  Long  Finne,"  said  the  Heer,  after  consider 
able  cogitation — "  Long  Finne,  thou  art  found 
guilty  of  suspicion  of  traitorous  designs  against 
the  authority  of  his  sacred  majesty,  Gustavus 
Adolphus  of  Sweden,  and  in  order  that  thou 
mayest  have  time  and  opportunity  to  clear  up 
thy  character,  we  sentence  thee  to  be  imprison 
ed  till  thine  innocence  is  demonstrated,  or  thou 
-halt  confess  thy  guilt." 

By  this  time  half  the  village,  at  least,  was  col 
lected,  as  is  usual  on  these  occasions,  when  they 
flock  to  see  a  criminal,  as  porpoises  do  about  a 
wounded  mate,  not  to  succour,  but  to  worry  him. 
The  whole  assembly  were  struck  with  astonish 
ment  at  the  wisdom  of  Governor  Piper's  deci 
sion,  which  they  looked  upon  as  dictated  by  blind 
Justice  herself.  Not  so  the  Long  Finne,  who 
like  most  unreasonable  persons,  that  are  seldom 
satisfied  with  law  or  justice  when  it  goes  against 
r  linn,  seemed  inclined  to  remonstrate.  But  the 


~U  KOM.N<;.-M.\KX).. 

Heer,  who-.-  ni;i\ini  it  wa^  to  punish  lirat  and 
pity  afterwards,  forthwith  rominandcd  him  to  be 
quiet,  quoting  lii-  favourite  -ay'inm,  "  Sirrah,  il 
we  both  talk  at  once,  how  are  we  to  und'T-tand 
one  ;>iiothcr  :" 

\-they  were  takinu  him  from  the  present 
of  the  Governor  to  convex  him  to  prison,  the  tall- 
lair  \outli.  turned  hi-  rye  mildl\,  \ei  -i-nifieant- 
U  towards theHeer,  and  pronounced  in  a  low  voice 
the  word-.  " Caspar Steinmets."  "\Nh;it!  who! 
ivhose  name  did  you  utter  ?"  exclaimed  hi-  ei 
cellencN  in  ure;it  limitation — 

-par  Steiunift-" — replied  the  youth. 

"  What  of  him" — rejoined  the  Heer. 

"  I  am  hi-  nephew'' — replied  the  Long  Finn*-. 
"The  friend  of  N  our  youth  w»»uld  be  little  obliuej 
to  \oti,  i  onld  lie  see  \ou  liurr\iiiii  the  <u\\  of  hi.- 
fio-nui  to  a  prison,  bee;m-e  he  posseted  a  hand- 
full  of  Mark  Newby'-  iialfpenee." 

••  1'i-h  !"  cried  theHeer — "I  never  heard  tliai 
old  Caspar  Steinmet>  had  a  nephew,  and  1  don't 
belie\e  a  word  of  it." 

"  He  had  a  si-ter,  who  married  a  gentleman  of 

Finland,  called  Colonel   Konint;>marke,  again.-i 

(he  wi-he-  of  her  friends.      She   w;i-   di-c;irdedrf 

.md  her   namem-\er   mention. -d.      On   the  deatli 

'  .>th  nu    p;ir«.-nt-,  my    uneli-   :«<ioptfd    me,  but 


KOXIN'GSMARKE. 

he  died  also,  not  long  after  you  sailed  for 
the  new  world. — Look,  sir,  do  you  know  thU 
picture  ?" 

"Blood  of  my  heart,"  exclaimed  the  Heer, 
contemplating  the  picture,  "  but  this  is  old  Cas 
par  Steinmets,  sure  enough !  Ah  !  honest,  jolly 
old  Caspar  !  many  a  time  hast  thou  and  I  drunk, 
fought  and  raked  together,  in  bonny  Finland ! 
But  for  all  that,  culprit,  thou  shah  not  escape 
justice,  until  thou  hast  accounted  to  me  for  th< 
possession  .of  this  picture,  which  hath  marvel 
lously  the  appearance  of  stolen  goods." 

"  Stolen  goods,  sir !"  interrupted  the  fair 
youth,  passionately  ;  but,  as  if  recollecting  him 
self,  he  relapsed  again  into  an  air  of  unconquer 
able  serenity,  and  began  to  whistle  in  an  urr- 
der  tone. 

"Ay,  marry,  stolen  goods  !  I  shall  forth 
with  commit  thee  to  prison,  and  retain  this 
picture  till  thou  provest  property,  and  payest  all 
charges.  Take  him  away,  master  constable." 

The  youth  seemed  about  to  remonstrate,  but 
again,  as  if  suddenly  recollecting  himself,  re 
mained  silent,  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  quiet 
ly  submitted  to  be  conducted  to  the  prison,  fol 
lowed  by  the  crowd,  which  usually,  on  such  oc- 
volunteers  as  an  honourable  e?cort  to 


28  KOMNC.ailARKE. 

hero  bridewell  and  quarter  sessions.  But 

nothing  could  equal  the  triumph  of  Lob  Dotterel 
mi  thi.-  occasion,  who  looked  upon  the  establish 
ing  of  a  man1.-  innocence  to  be  les-ming  tli«;  im 
portance  of  a  constable,  who,  as  he  affirmed,  de 
rived  dignity  and  consequence  in  exact  propor 
tion  to  the  crimes  of  mankind. 

Hnviim   despatched    this    weighty   affair,  the 

Heer  Piper  knocked  the  ashes  out  of  his  pipe, 

and  returned  to  his  gubernatorial  mansion,  with 

;i  full  resolution  of  communicating  the  whole  «f- 

to  tlie  Chancellor  Oxenstiern. 


CHAPTER  III. 


'  There  was  an  old  woman,  and  what  do  you  think . 
She  liv'd  upon  nothing  but  victuals  and  drink  : 
Victuals  and  drink  were  the  chief  of  her  diet, 
And  yet  this  old  lady  could  never  be  quiet." 


Now  the  long  shadows  of  the  trees  that  streu-hed 
almost  half  way  across  the  river,  began  gradual 
ly  to  disappear,  as  the  sun  of  summer  sunk  be 
hind  the  hills  that  rose  gradually  and  gracefully 
one  above  another  westward  of  the  renowned, 
or  soon  to  be  renowned,  village  of  Elsingburgh. 
The  toils  of  the  day  being  finished,  some  of  the 
villagers  were  sitting  at  the  door  of  Master 
Oldale's  castle,  smoking  and  telling  tales  of  war? 
in  the  old  countries,  or  dangers  encountered  in 
the  new. 

The  maid-  and  matrons  were,  some,  busil\ 
preparing  the  ponderous  supper;  others,  milking 
the  cows  ;  and  others,  strolling  with  their  sweet 
hearts  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  under  the  an 
cient  elms,  full  sorely  scarified  with  names, 
or  initials  of  nam«'-.  and  true  lovrrx"  knots, 
VOL.  i. 


hiv.  IK£. 

the    rude,    ;\et  simple   emblems   of  ru>ti«-    1»\ 
Dame    Partlrt.    the    hen,    with    all    her     kacK 
line    brood,     nestled    for    tin-    niuht     upon     t 
>hadv  bniiiji-;   the  dome-tic  uvncration  of  tw 
'1    and    four-legged    animaU    wen-    abo 
-eekini:    their   \ariou-  lodi/nm-,  and  the   careti 
hind  v  i  unchainine   tin-  tru>t\  and   pou 

t-rfnl  ina-tiH',  the  faithl'id  -uanlian  ot'  hini-r 
lii-  childn-n,  \\ifc,  and  all  liis  ti-ea^nr- 
-urpri-o,  in  the  solitude  of  the  niirht.  when  the 
wild  uolf.  and  the  Indian  tonally  wild.  un. 
i  heard  to  \cll  the  (|iiavrriim  Knell  of  dhn- 
•rrr  and  death. 

K\ery  oliject  bewail  ^raduallN  \iinate 

to   that    rural   repose    and    hapjn     quiet    which 

i-liaraeteri/e-    the  e\eniiii:  of  a  eonntr\     hainlei, 

ainuim  a  people  of  >imj)le    aiul  \irtnon-«  habit-. 

In  one  U'-rd,  it   \\a-  ju>t   the    period    betwixi 

da;,  light    and    darK,    when    tlielleei-    Piper. 

,ied  at  the  end  of  the  la-t  chapter,  returned 

lii<  mansion,  to  indulge  hiin-elf  in  hi>  aceu-to 

.(1    >tont     >npper,    which    ti-i.-.dly    cons'b 

u'd  of  what  i>  call'  ider,  a  5] 

.  whicli  goes  down   a  man'-    throat  liK 
iarp  -word,   and  which   the  -tiird\  Heer  cidl- 
rd  emphatically  man's  cider,  it  beinu-  an  urnjue- 

tionable  den  '  !iood  (o  be  able  t 


KONINGSMARKK.  31 

drink  it,  without  causing  people's  eyes  to  start 
nut  of  their  heads.  To  this  was  usually  added 
u  mess  of  pepper-pot,  with  heaps  of  meat  and 
vegetables,  among  which  figured,  in  all  the 
dignity  of  a  national  dish,  the  execrable  and 
ever-to-be-avoided  sour-krout  dire.  All  these 
luxuries  of  the  day  were  spread  on  the  table, 
and  waited  his  coming,  in  company  with  the 
members  of  the  household. 

The  first  of  these  which  we  shall  introduce 
in  due  form  to  the  reader,  was  the  lady  Edith 
Piper,  only  sister  to  his  Excellency  the  Gover 
nor — a  person  of  ominious  notability,  who,  on 
the  death  of  the  Heer's  wife,  had  taken  command 
of  the  establishment,  and,  if  report  says  true,  of 
Governor  Piper  into  the  bargain.  She  was,  in 
the  main,  a  good  sort  of  a  body,  and  of  a  most 
public-spirited  disposition,  since  she  neglected 
the  affairs  of  the  Heer,  to  attend  to  those 
of  every  body  else  in  the  village.  She  knew 
••very  thing  that  happened,  and  a  vast  many 
things  that  never  happened.  And  we  will  ven 
ture  to  pledire  our  veracity  as  historians,  that 
there  never  were  but  two  secrets  in  the  village, 
from  the  time  of  Madam  Edith's  arrival,  to 
the  day  of  her  final  extinction.  One  was 
-lir  year  of  the  lady's  birth — the  other  we  do 


KONINGSMAii 

'    disclose    at    pre-eiit,     liciuu   un\ 
ions   to    com  hire  the  world  that    w<-    too 

•  ••••11  a-  other  folk. 

To  do  the  i^ood   lady   no   more  than  justice. 

uas  not  ill-natured,  although  her  thirst  aner 

knowled  omewhat  extrenae  ;  nor  did   -h> 

'd  ii-r  ot'lhe  village  tittle-tattle. 

which   raine    to    her    ears.      She  never  repeated 

tale  of  scandal,  without  at  first  impressiveh 

riim  her  hearer<  that  -he  did  not  believe  om 

•d  of  it,  not  -he;  -he  men  !\  told  the  story,  to 

--how  what  an  ill-natured  world  it  was  that  the\ 

i  in.      Madam  Edith  was  -npposed  to  mail 
tain  her  authority  over  the  H""r  Piper,  more  b 
dint  of  talkinc;   incessantly,  than   throimh   tin 
•icy  of  fear.   When  she  had  a  point  to  train,  sht 
•  •r  abandoned  it;  and  if,  as   often  happened, 
the  governor  walked  out  in  a  pet   to  avoid  hei 
importunities,  she  would,  on  his  return,  resunu 
the  argument  just  where  it  was  left  oil",  with  a- 
toni.-hini:  precision.  .  in  proee-s  of  time  -liru 
:  him   out,   and.   from  lonir  experience  of  th 
,ce  of  tin-   dame,   as  well  a>  the  inefti- 

(  n>\«Tiit  r  I'ipn-  raine  at    la 

•jiiict     -ul)ini.--ion    to    he    tyranni/.ed    o\<  » 

within    door.-,  being  re>.ohed    to  make   liim-eh 

\mend-  b\  wiiho-n.     The  Vrou\y 


KONINGSMARKE.  Oil) 

F.dith.  who,  we  neglected  to  premise,  was  never 
ninrried,  not  boinc:  n.ble  to  find  any  body  in  the 
old  or  new  world  good  enough  for  her,  was,  in 
M>ber  truth,  a  considerable  talker,  although  tin- 
nne  regard  to  veracity  impels  us  to  the  confes- 
-ion  that  she  was  not  always  understood  by  her 
hearers.  Taking  it  for  granted,  that  every  body 
x\;i-  as  anxious  about  every  body's  business  as 
herself,  she  gave  them  credit  for  as  much  know 
ledge,  and  was  perpetually  indulging  in  hints, 
innuendoes,  and  scraps  of  biography,  which 
puzzled  her  friends  worse  than  the  riddle  of  the 
Sphinx.  Thus  she  generally  alluded  to  her 
acquaintances  in  old  Finland,  by  their  Christian 
names,  and  detailed  the  various  particulars  inci 
dent  to  nurseries,  kitchens,  &c.  as  if  the  whole 
universe  felt  an  interest  in  the  subjects  of  her 
biography.  In  one  word,  she  was  a  thin,  short 
little  body,  dressed  in  high-heel'd  shoes,  a 
chintz  gown,  with  flowers  as  large  as  cabbages, 
:.md  leaves  like  those  of  the  palm,  together  with 
a  long-tabbed  lawn  cap,  which,  on  great  occa- 
-inu-.  was  displaced  for  a  black  velvet  skull-cap^ 
fitting  close  to  the  head,  and  tied  under  the  chin. 
Of  her  voice,  it  may  be  affirmed  that  it  was  as 
-harp  as  the  Heer's  favourite  cider. 

Th<    only  being  in  the  governor's  establrsh- 

3* 


KOMM.-MARK.K. 

mem  that  could  hold  a  candle  to  anut  Ediii 
-he  was  tonally  denominated,  or  who  ventured 
to  exchange  a  shot  in  the  war  of  words  with  her. 

rtain  mysterious,  wayward,  out-of-the- 

•ture,  who  was  generally  reputed  to  b« 
m  equal  compound  of  fortune-teller  and  witch, 
^lie  v.  a>  by  birth  an  African,  and  her  general 
iitation  was  that  of  Bombie  of  the  Frizzled 
I  lead.  Bombie  was  a  thick,  squat  thing,  remark 
able  for  that  peculiar  redundancy  of  figure. 
-o  frequently  observed  in  the  ladies  of  her  colour 
•md  country.  Her  head  and  face  were  singular!} 
disproportioned  to  her  size,  the  first  being  MT\ 
-mall,  and  the  latter,  proportionally  large,  sine. 

\\ith  truth  be  averred,  that  her  head  \\;<- 
lyall  lace.  The  tart  \\  a-,  tliatnalnrehad  given 
her <nch  a  redundancy  of  broad  flat  no.-e.  that  in 
order  to  allow  of  any  eyes  at  a!l,>he  \\  a-obli-f  d  ti- 
place  them  on  either  side  of  the  head,  where  the\ 
projected  almost  as  far,  and  a<  red  a-  tlioseof 
boiled  lobster.  This  gave  her  an  air  of  sinirnl;; 
\\ildness,  inasmuch  as  it  produced  the  peculiar 
look  «-alled  starintr.  u  hich  is  held  to  be  tliefavourit*- 

mi  of  that  popular  class  of  lately  created 
hem*-  wln»  -tand  in  a  sort  <»f  a  midwa\  bet-.1. 
witches,  goblin-,   fairi* •-,  and  de\  il>  ;   bui 
ndd  compound  of  them  all,  being  made 


KONINGSMARKE. 

mere  force  of  the  author's  genius  to  supply  the 
want  of  every  natural  or  physical  advantage. 

Bombie  of  the  Frizzled  Head,  was  so  surnamed 
on  account  of  her  hair,  which  was  distinguished 
by  that  peculiar  and  obstinate  curl,  which,  to 
gether  with  the  accompanying  black  complexion, 
are  held  to  be  the  characteristics  of  the  posterity 
of  Cain.  Age  had,  at  this  period,  bent  her  body 
almost  double,  seamed  her  face  with  innume 
rable  wrinkles,  and  turned  her  hair  white,  which 
contrasted  singularly  with  her  ebony  skin. 
But  still  she  exhibited  one  of  the  peculiarities 
of  this  unhappy  race,  in  a  set  of  teeth  white  a> 
the  driven  snow,  and  perfect  as  the  most  perfect 
ever  seen  through  the  ruby  lips  of  the  lass  the 
reader  most  love?.  And  if  the  truth  must  be 
told,  her  tongue  seemed  to  be  as  little  injured 
l»y  the  assaults  of  time  as  her  teeth.  She  was, 
in  fact,  a  desperate  railer,  gifted  with  a  natural 
eloquence  that  was  wont  to  overpower  the  voice 
and  authority  of  aunt  Edith,  and  drive  the  Heev 
Piper  from  his  sternest  domestic  resolves. 

The  tyranny  of  Bombie's  tongue  was,  however. 
strengthened  in  its  authority  by  certain  vul 
gar  opinions,  the  more  powerful,  perhaps,  front 
their  indefinite  nature  and  va^rue  obscurity.  It 
>uid  that  she  was  the  daughter  and  the  witV 


Ki.v 

of  an  African  Kinir,  taken  in  battle,  and  -«.).]  to  a 
trader  who  carried  her  to  St.  Harts,  when-  .-hr 
Jit  by  the  Heer  IVter  Piper,  \\  ho  wlii- 
loine  figured  a-  Fi-cal  of  that  fruitful  island, 
from  whence  -he  accompanied  iiiin  first  to  Fin 
land,  and  afterward-;  to  the  new  world.  Rumour, 
that  pro-en\  of  darkne--.  distance,  and  ob-cu- 
rit\.  al-o  whi-prred  that  -he  of  the  Frr/./le<l 
Head  ronld  -ee  into  the  depth-  of  futuriu  ; 
uaiiited  with  the  of  -ticking 

•  rooked  pin.-,  and  throw  hit:  inxi-ible  briekliat- ; 
and  dealt  in  all  the  dread  in\-terie-  of  Obi. 
Thr-r  -ii-piciou>  \\cre  -tre;iL:thened.  l»\  the  \^-- 
euliav  ajipearance  and  habil>  of  the  Fri/./led 
Head,  as  \\ <  II  as  hy  the  aiithorit\  of  reitain  in- 
-lance-  ot  wit<-hiT,lit  that  liappened  about  ihi- 
t'nne  in  :  corded  b\  the  learned  and 

venerable  Cotton     Matlrvr.  in   hi-  book  of  woii- 

i:e  Mairnalia. 

I  ,ike  the  o\\  1  and  the  \\  hipperu  ill,  >ln 
1\  e\'er  9  abroad     e\ecj)t    at    n'mht,  and. 

like  ihi  in,  -I  ppo-ed    to  L;O  forth  in  the 

daii  l\   t<>  bode  or  to  praeti-e  ill.      \Vith 

-hort   pipe   in    her  mouth,    lier  horn-headeii 
-tirk  in  her  hand,  >he  would  be  seen  \valkin 
ni^lit  aloim  the  bank    of  the   river,  without  an\ 
•trent  purpu-e,  generally  >ilent.  but  occasion- 


KONINGSMARKE.  37 

<lly  muttering  and  mumbling  in  some  unknown 
gibberish  that  no  one  understood.  This  ha 
bit  of  prowling  abroad  at  night,  and  at  all  times 
of  the  night,  enabled  her  to  attain  a  knowledge 
of  various  secrets  of  darkness  that  often  seem 
ed  the  result  of  some  supernatural  insight  into 
the  ways  of  men.  Indeed,  it  has  been,  or  it  may 
be  shrewdly  observed,  that  he  who  would  see 
the  world  as  it  really  is,  must  watch  like  the 
mastiff  that  bays  the  moon,  and  sleeps  but  in 
the  sunshine.  When  at  home,  in  the  Heer's 
kitchen,  she  never  slept  except  in  the  day 
time ;  but  often  passed  the  night,  wandering  about 
such  parts  of  the  house  as  were  free  to  her,  ap 
parently  haunted  by  some  sleepless  spirit,  and 
often  stopping  before  the  great  Dutch  clock  in 
the  hall.  Here  she  might  be  seen,  stand 
ing  half  double,  leaning  on  her  stick,  and  exhi 
biting  an  apt  representation  of  age  counting  the 
lew  and  fleeting  moments  of  existence.  Her 
wardrobe  consisted  of  innumerable  ragged  gar 
ments,  patched  with  an  utter  contempt  for  con- 
trruity  of  colouring,  and  exhibiting  the  remnants 
of  the  fashions  of  the  last  century.  On  par 
ticular  occasions,  however,  Bombie  exhibit 
ed  her  ffrand  costume,  which  consisted  of  a  man's 
hat  and  coat,  and  a  woman's  petticoat,  which 


K.O.N:  >KE. 

i  ombination  produced  a  wild,  picturesque  <  I 
altogether    indescribable.       In    justice    to    the 
Hi  er,  we  imi-t  premise,  that  it  \\a>  not  his  fault 
thatBombie  \\a>  not  better  dad,  lor  he  often  a;i\» 
her  clothing,  with  which  no  one  ever  kueu  what 

u  in  an\  tliiiiu  bin 
a  multijilicity  of  r 

'.rjiouu'h,  to  ;i|)|)e;ir;iiicr.  ••\rrcdinul\-  a  tied  ami 
infirm,  the  Knon-  Hull.  a>  (Jo\  eni(»r  Piper  n>ed  to 
call  her,  wa>    trifled  with  an  aetiviu   and    power 
of  endnrani-e,  that  had  somethinp  almost  Miper- 
natnral  in  it.  and  which  enahled  her  to  hra\e  all 
and  all  \\eather-.  ;i~  if  she  had  been  the 
HIM-    of    black     marble    -lit-   .-oinetimt  - 
ned.  \\  In  n  »tandin-  -t«»ck  -till,  Icaninu  on  her 
-tirk  and  contemplating   the  .-ilent    moon.     She 
had  a  Lrrand-on,  of  \\hoin    \\e   ^hall    >a\     moiv 
nd-b\.       At     present      \se    will    leave    the 
1 1 ••(•!•  to  fmi>h  his  supper,  a>  we  mean  to  do  our 
o\\n  presently,  not  wishing  to  burthen  the  read 
er  with   too   much    of  ;i    uood    thinu.    which    i- 
-Ijrewdly  affirmed  {»  be   equivalent   to  u    thine; 
"hich  ig  good  for  nothing. 


CHAPTER  IV, 


•  The  rose  is  red,  the  violet  blue, 
The  gilly-flower  sweet,  and  so  are  you. 
These  are  the  words  you  bade  me  say, 
For  a  bonny  kiss,  on  Easter  day." 


WE  left  our  hero,  at  the  conclusion  of  the  la>i 
chapter  save  one,  quietly  on  his  way  to  prison, 
in  the  custody  of  Lob  Dotterel,  the  vigilant 
high  constable  of  Elsingburgh.  The  reader 
may  perhaps  wonder  at  the  spiritless  acquies 
cence  with  which  the  Long  Finne  submitted  to 
the  decision  of  the  Heer  Piper,  as  well  as  to 
the  safe  conduct  of  the  constable.  Now,  though 
it  i-  in  our  power,  by  a  single  flourish  of  the 
pen,  to  account  for  this  singularity,  we  are  too 
well  acquainted  with  the  nature  of  the  human 
mind,  to  deprive  our  history  at  the  very  outsei 
of  that  indescribable  interest  which  arises  from 
the  author's  keeping  to  himself  certain  secrets, 
which,  like  leading  strings,  as  it  were,  conduct 
the  reader  to  the  end,  in  the  hope  of  at  length 
being  fully  rewarded  by  a  disclosure  of  the 


40  KOS'INGSMARKE. 

mystery.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  the  tall  youth  \\  a- 
quietly  conducted  to  prison,  apparently  without 
either  caring  much  about  it  himself,  or  excitine 
the  compassion  of  a  single  soul  in  the  village. 

But  it  was  not  so. — There  was  one  heart  that 
melted  with  sympathy,  and  one  eye  that  shed  a 
solitary  tear,  to  see  so  interesting  a  youth  thu?. 
as  it  were,  about  to  be  buried  alive,  upon  M> 
MiiTiu-  and  slight  a  suspicion.  That  heart,  and 
that  eye,  beat  in  the  bosom,  and  sparkled  in  tlx 
brow  of  as  fair  a  maid  as  ever  the  sun  shone 
upon  in  this  new  world,  whose  sprightly  daugh 
ters  are  acknowledged  on  all  hands  to  excel  in 
beauty,  id  virtue,  all  the  rest  of  the  imi- 

\-Tse.     The   daughter,  the  only  daughter,  uay, 
the  only  offspring  of  the  Heer,  wa»  -itthiL:  in  tin 
low   parlour   window   that  looked  out  upon  tin 
green  sward,  where  that  puissant  irmernor  u«ed 
nokc  his  afternoon's  pipe  in  pleasant  weather, 
uhejj  the  \  iirilant  high   constable  brought  in  lli. 
fall,   fair  pri<oniT.      H.T   r\(-  \\a-  naturalK 
traded  by  a  face  and   figure  so  different  from 
?he  had  been  accustomed  to  see  in  the  vii- 
.  and  beinu  >ufririently  near  to  hear  hi- 
Hinination.  >he  \\av  >truck  with  wonder   and   en- 

-••ntimeiits    that    are   said  {>• 
herited  by  the  -e\,  in  a   direct  line   from    ennui 
mother   KM  . 


KONINGSMAHKE.  41 

Those  readers,  ay,  and  writers  loo,  who 
happen  to  know  as  much  of  human  nature  as  the 
head  of  a  cabbage,  are  aware  of  the  electrical 
finality  of  any  excitement  that  springs  up  in  the 
heart,  in  a  situation,  and  under  circumstancesj 
where  objects  of  interest  are  rare,  and  there  is 
uo  variety  to  attract  us  from  the  train  of  thought 
and  feeling,  which  such  objects  inspire.  In  early 
youth,  and  just  at  that  blooming  period  of 
>pring,  when  the  bud  of  sentiment  begins  to 
expand  its  leaves  to  the  zephyr  and  the  sun,  it 
uften  happens,  that  the  memory  and  the  fancy 
will  both  combine  to  rivet  in  the  mind,  a  feeling 
lighted  by  a  single  spark,  in  a  single  moment, 
UK!  make  its  impression  almost  indelible. 

It  was  thus,  in  some  degree,  with  the  fair  and 
uentle  daughter  of  the  Heer,  whose  light  blue 
eye,  the  colour  of  the  north,  seemed  destined  to 
conquer  all  hearts  in  the  new  world,  as  her  blue- 
pyed  ancestors  did  the  old  with  their  invin 
cible  arms.  She  had  never  yet  seen,  except  in 
dreams,  since  she  entered  her  teens,  a  being  like 
the  Long  Finne,  who,  contrasted  with  the  sturdy 
boors  around  her,  not  even  excepting  her  admir 
rer  Othman  Pfegel,  was  an  Apollo  among  sat\  n. 
Christina,  for  so  was  she  called,  had  indeed 

von.  i.  4 


1-  ^URKf  . 

-oinc  remote  recollection  of  ;i  >pecie>  of 
polished  heini:-,  >nch  a-,  when  a  little  trirl,  >lir 
had  seen  in  Finland  ;  but  the  remembrance  wa- 
-o  \  "illy  to  enable  her  in  some  de'_rn'< 

to  ivcti'_:niM'  the  vulgarity  and  want  of'refme- 
rnent  of  the  Sunday  beaux  of  Elsinirbnrirh. 

The  heart,  the   pure,  warm,  social  heart  of  u 
uirl  of  i.   may    be    said   to  be   like  tin- 

turtle  dove,  which  pines  in  the  absence  of  it- 
mate,  and  fills  the  wilderness  of  the  world  with 

olitary  moanintr>.  ll  waits  but  i 
de-tined  counterpart,  to  tremble  and  palpitate; 
and  if  its  (ir>t  emotion-  are  not  rudely  jostled 
n-ide,  or  overpowered  l»y  the  distraction  of  con- 
Ilictintr  objects,  and  the  variety  of  oppo>inn 
ie:nj»ia!'"  v  will  become  the  iro\eni- 

inu  principle  of  i-xi-tence  diiriui:  a  whole  life 
of  lo\e. 

koniim-markc    ua-.   in    truth,    a    figure    that 

i;t  have  drawn  the  particular  attention  of  a 
lad\  <  ii-tomed  to  the  iine.»l 

form-  of  mankind.  He  was  nearly,  or  quite 
~i\  f. •(  i  hiuh,  -traiuht.  and  well  proportioned, 
with  ft  Complexion  almost  too  fair  for  a  man.  and 

-  of  a  liu'ht  blue.  His  hair  wa-  somewhat 
too  liulit  ti>  >uit  the  ta-te  of  the  pre-«  in  day,  bin 
which,  to  an  eye  accustomed  to  associate  it  wi 


KONINCSMARKE.  4o 

ideas  of  manly  beauty,  was  rather  attractive  than 
otherwise. 

With  these  features,  he  might  have  been 
thought  somewhat  effeminate  in  his  appear 
ance,  were  it  not  that  a  vigorous,  muscular  form, 
and  a  certain  singular  expression  of  his  eye, 
which  partook  somewhat  of  a  fierce  violence, 
threw  around  him  the  port  of  a  hardy  and  fearless 
being.  This  expression  of  the  eye,  in  after  times, 
when  their  acquaintance  had  ripened  into  inti 
macy,  often  gave  rise  to  vague  and  indefinite 
suspicions  of  his  character,  and  fears  of  its 
developement,  which  the  fair  Christina  could 
never  wholly  discard  from  her  bosom.  The 
dress  of  the  youth,  though  not  fine  nor  splendid, 
was  of  the  better  sort,  and  in  excellent  taste, 
except  that  he  wore  his  ruff  higher  up  in  the 
neck  than  beseemed. 

The  person  whose  appearance  we  have  thus 
-ketched,  as  might  be  expected,  excited  a  degree 
of  interest  in  the  maiden,  sufficiently  powerful 
to  have  impelled  her  to  actual  interference  with 
the  Heer,  in  favour  of  the  prisoner,  had  it  not 
been  for  that  new-born  feeling,  which,  wherever 
it  is  awakened  in  the  bosom  of  a  delicate  and 
virtuous  female,  is  accompanied  by  a  shrinking 
and  timid  consciousness,  that  trembles  lest  th* 


KONINGSM.UIKE. 

most  common  courtesies,  and  the  most  ordinal -\ 
emotions,  may  be  detected  as  the  offspring  of  a 
warmer  feeling.  Besides  this,  the  fair  Christina 
knew  from  experience  that  though  her  father 
loved  her  better  than  all  the  world  besides,  there 
was  one  thing  he  loved  still  better,  and  that  was, 
tin-  freedom  of  his  sovereign  will  and  pleasure, 
in  the  exercise  of  his  authority  as  the  representa 
tive  ofGustavus  Adolphus  of  Sweden.  The  Heer. 
in  fact,  never  failed  to  resent  all  interfere-in •<• 
of  this  nature  on  the  part  of  the  ladies  of  hi> 
household,  always  accompanying  his  refusal  bv 
oni.  \\icked  jest,  or  some  reflection  upon  peo- 
not  minding  their  own  business.  Christina, 
therefore,  remained  quiet  in  her  seat,  and  accom 
panied  the  fair,  tall  youth  to  prison  with  thf 
-igh  and  the  tear  heretofore  commemorated. 

The  prison  formed  one  side  of  the  square,  at 
the  opposite  extremity  of  which  was  placed  the 

•  nun'-  palace,  as  he  called  it,  videlicet,  a 
two-story  brick  house,  with  a  steep  roof,  co 
vered  with  fiery   red  tiles,  lapping  over  each 
uilier    like   the   scales    of  a    drum    fish.      The 

kl  \\liich  composed  the  walls  of  the  palaee. 
were  of  the  same  dusky  hue  of  red,  so  that  the 
A'hole  had  the  appearance  of  a  vast  oven,  JMM 

•  •d  for  a  batrh  of  bread.      Aurreably  to  tli. 


KONINGSMARKE.  45 

tashion  of  the  times,  the  house  was  of  little 
depth,  the  windows  of  the  same  room  opening 
to  both  front  and  rear ;  but  then  it  made  up  in 
length  what  it  wanted  in  depth,  and  when  not 
taken  in  profile,  had  a  very  imposing  appear 
ance.  Exactly  opposite,  at  a  distance  of  about 
thirty  yards,  was  the  prison,  also  of  brick,  with 
small  windows,  having  ominous  iron  bars,  and 
other  insignia  shrewdly  indicative  of  durance  vile. 
One  part  of  the  building  was  appropriated  to 
the  accommodation  of  persons  who  had  the 
misfortune  to  fall  under  the  guilt  of  suspicion, 
like  the  Long  Finne  ;  and  in  the  other  portion, 
was  the  great  court  room,  as  it  was  pompously 
called,  where  the  Heer  met,  as 'was  his  custom, 
to  consult  with  his  council,  and  do  just  as  he  liked 
afterwards,  as  practised  by  the  potent  Governors 
of  that  day.  In  truth,  these  little  men  were  so 
far  out  of  the  reach  of  their  masters,  that  they 
considered  themselves  as  little  less  than  immor- 
(al,  and  often  kicked  up  a  dust  for  the  sole 
jnirpose  of  showing  their  authority. 

The  Governor's  mansion,  and  the  court-hoax 
or  jail,  were  the  only  brick  buildings  in  the  vil 
lage,  the  rest  consisting  of  wooden  edifices  ot,' 
round  logs  for  the  vulgar,  and  square  ones, 
filled  in  with  mortar,  for  the  better  sort.  These 
4* 


t"  KOMNCiSMABKt. 

\M-re  huddled  clo>e  together  round  the  M^, 
tor  two  special  reasons  ;  one,  that  they  might 
the  more  easily  included  in  the  strong  pali 
-ado,  which  had  been  raised  about  the  to%n 
lor  >f(iiiit\  ;i-;tinM  any  sudden  irruption  of  the 
ires  ;  the  other,  that  no  ground  miirht  he 
<-d  in  laying  out  the  place,  which,  in  the 
opinion  «'i'  the  longest  heads,  v,  ;i>  -o  ad- 
vantaireou^ly  situated,  that  every  loot  oi 
land  must  be  of  inimeiiM1  value  .-oine  day  or 
other.  Vain  anticipation-^  !  since  the  place  i.> 
now  a  ruin,  and  the  colony  no  more  ;  yet  such 
1>  the  iiMial  fate  of  all  the  towrrinir  ho|')e.>  ot 
man  !  The  house-,  we  >peak  of,  were  all  nearh 
i.!'  i In-  same  >ize  and  fashion,  and  equally  digni 
fied  by  an  enormous  chimney  of  brick.  \\h'u  h  ap 
pertained  to  the  house,  or  more  strictly  speak 
ing,  to  \\hich  the  hoii^e  >eemed  to  appertain, 
.ind  which  beinu;  placed  outside  of  the  \\all  in 
stead  of  in>ide,  for  tlic  j)urpose  of  affording 
more  room  to  the  fainii  the  man-ion 

>omewhat    the    relative    appe:iran«v    of   a  wren 
hou-e  -.tuck  up  airainst  the  side  of  a  chimney. 

In  tin's  veritable?  jail,  we  have  ju-t  dc.-cribed. 

•he  1  niewas  consigned  by  Lob  Dotterel. 

:   by  the  Cerberus   who  guarded  it. 

;.id   who.   finding  tlin   ••n;oluiiient-  uf  his  offie. 


KONINGSMARKE. 

« ousiderably  inadequate  to  maintain  a  family, 
of  some  eight  or  ten  children,  generally  worked 
at  his  trade  of  carpenter  abroad,  leaving  the 
keys  of  the  prison  in  the  hands  of  his  wife.  The 
latter  was  popularly  considered  the  better  man 
of  the  two,  and  currently  reported  not  to  fear 
devil  or  dominie,  in  fair  open  daylight. 

Master  Gottlieb  Swaschbuckler's  vocation 
might  be  said  to  be  almost  a  sinecure,  since, 
notwithstanding  Lob  Dotterel's  vigilant  police, 
the  prison  was,  during  the  greater  part  of  the 
year,  undignified  by  a  single  inhabitant,  save 
the"  jailer  and  his  family.  And  here  we  can 
not  but  express  our  mortification,  that,  notwith 
standing  the  vast  pains  taken  since  that  time 
to  improve  the  mind  and  morals  of  mankind, 
and  the  astonishing  success  of  all  the  plans  laid 
down  for  that  purpose,  there  should  be  such 
;i  singular  and  unaccountable  increase  of  the 
tenants  of  jails,  bridewells,  penitentiaries,  and 
such  like  schools  of  reformation.  So  extraor 
dinary  indeed  is  the  fact  we  have  just  stated, 
that  we  feel  it  incumbent  upon  us,  to  request  of 
the  reader  a  little  exertion  of  that  generous  credu 
lity,  by  which  he  is  enabled  to  gulp  down  the  in 
teresting  improbabilities  of  our  modern  romaj: 

(>;i.me  Swaschbuckler  was,  consequently, 


18  KONING>MARKI.. 

lighted  at  the  appearance  of  the  Long  Fame, 
having  been  some  time  without  any  body  but 
her  hu>band  anil  family  upon  whom  to  exercise 
her  authority,  and  holding,  as  she  did,  that  a 
pri-on  without  a  prisoner  was,  liUe  a  cage  with 
out  a  bird,  utterly  worthless  and  uninteresting. 
•  lived  to  entertain  him  in  her  be-i 
manner,  and  accunliiiLilv  ^hourd  him  into  a 
,i.  the  doors  of  which  were  tuice  a-  thick, 
and  the  windows  ornamented  with  double  the 
number  of  bar.-,  of  :m\  other  in  the  whole 
build 

Having  thus  accommodated  our  hero  uith 
board  and  lodeinu,  \\e  -hall  pause  a  moment 
in  order  to  .'hat  \M-  >hall  »a\  in  th< 


CHAPTER  IV 


•  Who  comes  here  ?     A  Grenadier. 
What  d'ye  want?     A  pint  of  beer. 
Where's  your  money?     I  forgot. 
Get  you  gone,  you  drunken  sot." 


WE  neglected  to  mention,  not  foreseeing  that 
it  might  be  necessary  to  the  course  of  our  histo 
ry,  that  the  Heer  Piper,  when  he  pronounced 
sentence  upon  the  Long  Finne,  did  also  at  the 
same  time  declare,  all  that  portion  of  Mark 
Newby's  halfpence  which  he  carried  about  him, 
utterly  forfeited,  one  half  to  the  informer,  the 
other  to  the  crown  of  Sweden.  It  was  accord 
ingly  divided  between  Restore  Gosling  and  the 
Governor,  as  representative  of  Majesty. 

The  Long  Finne  accordingly  entered  tin 
prison,  without  that  key  which  not  only  unlocks 
stone  walls,  but  also  the  flinty  hearts  of  those 
who  are  wont  to  preside  within  them.  His 
pockets  were  as  empty  as  a  church  on  week 
days.  When,  therefore,  the  next  morning  IK 
iHt  the  gnawings  of  that  insatiate  fiend,  whom 


KONINGSMARKE. 

bolts,  nor  bars,  nor  subterranean  dungeon.-. 
-uffice  to  keep  from  tagging  at  the  heels  of 
man,  and  ventured  to  hint  to  dame  Swasch- 
buckler  that  he  had  some  idea  of  wanting  his 
breakfast,  that  good  woman  promptly  desired 
him  to  lay  down  his  dust,  and  she  would  pro- 
rure  him  a  breakfast  fit  for  Governor  Piper 
himself. 

"  But  I  have  no  dust,  mother,  as  you  call  it," 
replied  the  youth. 

••  What,  no  money  !"  screamed  out  the  Dame; 
>•    teufel    hole     dich,    what   brought     ther 
here  then." 

"  Master  Lob  Dotterel,"  replied  he. 
"  And    tliou     hast    no    money — du    galgen 
achivenkel,"   roared   the   dame. 

"  Not  a  stiver,  nor  even  one  of  Mark  NewbyV 
halfpence,"  responded  the  Long  Finne. 

"  Then  thou  gettest  no  break faM  liere,"  cried 
ilie  uiiMre>>  of  the  stone  jug,  "  except  der 
firndni.  It  would  be  a  fine  matter 
truly,  if  every  galgengefalhner  spitzbube 
uere  to  he  maintained  here  in  idleness,  at  the 
expense  of  tin  poor."  So  saying,  she  waddled 
indignantly  out  of  the  room,  -hutting  the  door 
..tier  her  with  great  emphasis,  and  turnincr  th« 


KONIN'GSMARKE. 

key   with    a   quick    motion,    indicating  wrath 
unappeasable. 

Dinner-time  came,  but  no  dinner  ;  supper- 
time  came,,  but  no  supper  ;  for  it  ought  to  br 
premised,  that  it  was  one  of  the  Heer  Piper's 
maxims,  that  the  less  a  criminal  had  to  eat  in 
prison,  the  more  likely  he  would  be  to  come  to  a 
speedy  confession  of  his  crime.  He  therefore 
made  no  provision  for  persons  committed  on 
mere  suspicion.  Most  people,  we  believe, 
happen  to  be  aware  of  the  vast  importance  of 
rating  and  drinking,  not  only  as  a  very  simple 
means  of  supplying  the  wants  of  nature,  but  like 
wise  as  creating  certain  divisions  of  time,  where 
by  that  venerable  personage  is  disarmed 
of  half  his  terrors,  and  the  desperate  uniformity 
of  his  pace  agreeably  interrupted.  Accordingly, 
when  the  night  came,  and  nothing  to  eat,  the 
Long  Finne  began  to  feel  not  a  little  tired  of  his 
>ituation.  He  paced  his  solitary  room  in  silent 
vexation,  occasionally  stopping  at  the  window, 
which  fronted  the  Governor's  palace,  and  gazing 
wistfully  at  the  figures  which  passed  backward*, 
mid  forwards  about  his  little  parlour.  As  he 
stood  thus  contrasting  the  cheerful  aspect  of  the 
palace  with  his  dark,  noiseless  prison,  and  bl 
own  solitary  starving  state,  he  beheld  tlu-m 


>J  Hi>NI\«.sMAKKI.. 

bringing  in  the  Heer's  supper,  and    his  bow 
yearned.    The  contrast  was  more  than  lie  could 
r;   he    flung  himself  upon    tin-    straw     in    a 
t-oriier  of  the  room,   and  communed  with  him- 
M-lf  in  the  bitterness  of  his  heart  ;  he  drank  hi- 

•  mn   tears   in   the   »\i:  >f  hi>    thirst,   and 
buJlyaoking  under  weakness,  and  the  emotion- 

•  if  his  heart,  fell  asleep. 

From  this  last  refuse  of  mi-fry  and  hun^ei 
the  Long  Finne  was  awakened  by  a  loud  pe;d 
of  thunder,  that  seemed  to  have  shattered  tin 
(iriMiu  into  atoms.  On  opening  his  e\e-.  the 
lir-t  ol)jeet  lie  beheld,  by  the  almost  nncea- 
lla^hes  of  lightning,  was  a  fiirure  standing  0 
him,  half  bent,  and  leaning  upon  a  stick,  mut 
tering  and  miimbliiig  some  unintelligible  incan- 
t.uion.  Her  eyes  seeuvd  like  coals  of  fire, 
dancing  in  their  deep  sockets,  and  her  who!' 
appearance  was  altogether,  or  nearly  superna 
tural. 

"  Who,  and  what  are  you,  in  the  name  «»i 
(iod  r"1  cried  the  Limn  Finne,  starting  up  from 
in-  -traw. 

"  I  am  a  being  disinherited  of  all    the  riaiii-. 

aid    heir   to  all    the  wrongs  to  which  humanil\ 

.•line.      1    ua-,  born  a  princess   in  one  (juar- 

•f  the  globe — 1  was  brouLht  up  in  another, 


KONINGSMARKE. 

a  beast  of  burthen.  I  am  here  the  slave  of 
man's  will,  the  creature  of  his  capricious  ty* 
ranny."  The  voice  of  the  apparition  was  hol 
low,  and  rung  like  a  muffled  bell. 

"  And  what  brought  thee  here  at  this  time 
of  the  night,"  replied  the  youth,  "  and  such  ;i 
night  too  !" 

"  The  thunder  and  the  lightning,  the  storm 
and  the  whirlwind,  are  my  elements  ;  night  to 
me  is  day ;  and  when  others  sleep,  the  spirit 
that  is  unseen  in  the  morning,  the  guilty  that 
fear,  and  the  injured  that  hate  the  light  and  the 
face  of  man,  go  forth  to  warn  the  living,  to  in 
dulge  the  bitterness  of  their  hearts,  or  to  com 
mit  new  crimes." 

"  Awa^  ! — I  know  thee  now  ;  thou  art  Bombie 
of  the  Frizzled  Head — I  know  thee  now,"  repli 
ed  the  youth. 

"  And  1  too  KNOW  THEE,"  hollowly  rejoined 
the  figure — "  t  know  thee,  Long  Finne.  Thou 
comest  here  for  no  good ;  thou  art  here  to  stab 
the  sleeping  innocent — to  engraft  upon  the  tree 
of  my  master's  house  the  bitter  fruit  of  guilt  and 
misery.  I  am  sent  here  to  prevent  all  this.  J 
come  with  food,  and  the  means  of  freeing  thee 
from  thy  prison.  Follow  me,  and  go  thy  ways, 
never  to  return." 

VOL.  i.  ~i 


"1  \\ill  stay  here  ami  die,"  bitterh  exdainietl 
the  fair  youth.  "  I  am  an  outcast  from  my  na 
tive  laud — a  hunted  deer,  ^  whom  neither  tin 
woods,  the  \\  i  ailord  a  refuse. 

Whither  shrill  I  LM*.'  X&  while  man  nor  red 
man  will  shield  me  ft^^^^Wnhieh  follows  in« 
\uhere — from  tflMHm  that  never  die-, 
the  lire  that  U  never  quenched.  No — Twillst.n 
here  and  peri-h."  He  Ihine;  him-elf  reekle--.lv 
on  the  floor,  and  covered  hi-  face  with  hi 
hand-. 

11  Stay  here  and  peri-h!"  replied  the  Friz/.led 
Head,  scornfully.  "Thus  does  the  coward 
v\hite  man  quail  and  whimper,  when  he  hall, 
done  that  whi-'h  his  ahject  spirit  dare  not  look 
in  the  fa  i  :!iat  hath  the  couraee  to  com 

mit  a  crime,  should  have  the  couraue  to  lace   it- 
•  •on-e(|iience-.      C'ouard,  arise  and  follow  me." 
No — 1  will  die  her. 

1  perish  hereafter,"  cried  the  hlacU  m\ - 
itini!'  doun  a  little  La-ki-t  he^'nir  thr 
\<>uti).  "  l-'areuell;  but  be  careful  what  thou 
doe-t.  \Vherf\er  thc-u  poest  I  will  follow; 
uhatever  thou  doest  I  shall  know;  and  if,  und«  > 
i-o\er  of  niuht  and  'olitude,  \\hen  tlion  thiid\».--i 
that  no  mortal  e>r<  -..M!-,  the« .  thou  dare%t  \<>  <]•» 


KONINGSMARKF:. 

ill,  my  eye  shall  be  upon  thee,  and  my  spell  wi 
ther  thy  resolves.  Beware !" 

Thus  saying,  sKe  departed,  and  sorry  are  \\< 
to  say,  it  was  in  a  manner  somewhat  unwortln 
her  mysterious  dignity,:  for  she  passed  out  at 
the  door,  and  locked  it  after  her.  The  Long 
FiniflBby  and  ruminated  for  some  time  on  what 
lie  had  seen  and  heard;  but  at  length  his  cu 
riosity  inspired  him  with  the  idea  of  examining 
rhe  basket,  the  contents  of  which  drove  even 
thing  else  out  of  his  head.  And  here  we  might 
tamper  with  the  reader's  curiosit}',  and  affect 
ihat  mystery  with  which  our  great  prototype  Is 
\\ont  so  unmercifully  to  torment  his  readers. 
But  .  .  all  such  vulgar  arts  of  authorship, 

and  honestly  confess  that  the  Long  Finne  wa- 
-truck  d'unb  by  the 'sight  of  an  excellent  supper, 
which  he  attacked  with  great  vigour,  after  the 
manner  of  men  that  have  fasted  much  and  pray 
ed  little. 

The  visit  of  the  Frizzled  Head  was,  after  thU. 
repeated  nightly,  and  the  supper  with  it,  dtwbt- 
with  the  connivance  of  dame  Schwasch- 
buckler,  whose  husband,  being  a  jjreat  politi- 
fiau,  usually  spent  the  first  part  of  the  night  in 
Anting  foxed  at  Master  Oldale's  shrine,  and  th*. 
other  part  in  slcephm  himself  sober  at  home. 


>D  KOMM.-MAHKK. 

In  truth,  the  weeping  blood  of  woman'?  hear* 
M-ldom  beats  with  a  stronger  !••'  'ini;  of  pity, 
than  it  now  began  to  do  in  the  bosom  of  the  fair 
Christina.  She  was  observed  to  be  often  at  the 
window  of  her  chamber,  \\hich  fronted  the  pri- 
*on.  through  whose  bars  slie  had  a  dim  and 


indistinct  view  of  the  tall,  fair  y 
backward.*  and  forwards  in  his  narrow  bound*, 
and  sometimes  stopping  before  the  unite*,  where 
he  would  lav  hi*  hand  on  his  heart,  and  l>o\\ 

his  head  profoundly,  as  if  to  thank  her  for  hrr 
charity  to  a  poor  wanderer.  Sometimes,  in  thr 

evening.  he  wonld  play  on  a  little  llaireo  let  which 
lie  managed  exquisitely,  and  ocea*ionally  *iiu: 
portions  of  the  tender  and  popular  air*  of  li. 

-imoiiirwhieh  she  ol'trn  distim;iii*h<  d  tin- 
follow  inu  couplet  :  — 


a'-heakcin  gefsngi. 
I  "ml  ci-cr-n-  -tungfii  kriu  kaefig  ;" 

whirl)  -ri'iiit  d  to  her  expros*ive  of  tin-  triumph 
of  mind  o\er  time  and  circumstance. 

TluiM   uiii.  have  *tudi«-d   tlic  heart  of  woman, 

and  read  in    it*    rudd\   pa  ire*  how  prone  it   i*    to 

pity,  and   how  naturalU  it  passes    :'rom  pity  to  a 

^  .11-1111  -r  frelinir,  we    tru*t  will    ui\e  us  credit  for 

e  little  regard  to  probability,  when  \M-  \en- 


KONINGSMARKE.  07 

i  are  to  hint,  that  the  little  simple  village  girl  had 
not  long  indulged  in  the  one,  till  she  began  to 
feel  the  approaches  of  the  other. 

The  moment  she  became  aware  of  this  change 
in  her  feelings,  all  the  pleasure  she  had  hitherto 
felt  in  administering,  through  the  instrumentality 
ofBomJne,  to  the  wants  of  the  prisoner,  vanished. 
An  indescribable  sensation  of  awkward  embar 
rassment  possessed  her,  whenever  she  applied 
to  the  sybil  to  carry  his  daily  supply.  And 
the  blush  which  accompanied  the  application, 
was  the  silent,  yet  sure  testimony  that  she  w;i- 
now  acting  under  the  impulses  of  anew  feeling, 
which  she  dared  not  avow. 

The  conduct  of  the  Frizzled  Head  increased 
this  embarrassment. — The  sybil  every  day  dis 
covered  more  and  more  unwillingness  to  go  on 
her  nightly  errand  of  charity,  and  was  perpetual 
ly  pouring  forth  mystical  prophecies  and 
denunciations. 

"I  will  not,"  said  she  at  last  "I  will  noi 
pamper  the  wolf  that  he  may  be  preserved  to 
devour  the  innocent  lamb.  I  have  seen  what  I 
have  seen,  I  know  what  I  know.  There  is 
peril  in  the  earth,  the  sea,  and  the  air,  yet  thf 
voung  see  il  not  till  it  comes,  and  when  it  comes 


KOMNGSMARKE. 

they  know   not  how    to  escape. — I   will  go   t.. 
the  prison  no  more." 

"And  the  youth  will  be  left  to  perish  with 
hunger,"  replied  the  young  damsel,  sadly. 

"Lot  him  perish!"  exclaimed  the  Frizzled  Head. 
"The  guilty  die,  that  the  innocent  may  live;  for 
wicKednos  is  the  strength  of  the  lion,  and 
the  cunnintr  of  the  tiger  combined.  Enough 
ran  it  accomplish  of  mischief  without  my  assist- 
,iin -e — I  will  go  no  more.'' 

••In  the  name  df  Heaven,  what  meanest  thou," 
.e-ked  the  trembling  girl,  "by  the.-e  fearful  hints 
of  danger  f  Who  is  the  wolf,  and  who  the  lamb, 
thai  thou  >houhUt  thus  thwart  me  in  m\  errand 
of  compassion?" 

••  I  ba\e  seen  what  I  have  seen — 1  Know  what 
I  Know,"  replied  the  sybil.  "The  warning  that 
i-  ui\en  in  time,  is  the  word  which  i>  bowled  out 
in  the  wilderne>s.  Better  were  it  for  one  of  m\ 
colour  to  be  diimbthan  speak  evil  of  one  of  thine. 
Rut  I  ha\e  seen  what  I  ha\e  -ern — I  Know  what 
(  Know." 

This  was  all  poor  Christina  could   ^et  out   of 
the  old  mv-tery,  and   that  niuht  tlie  Loim'  Finm 
went   ;>uj>|»«-rli--x  (,)  bi,    xtniu'.   \\iih   the  thouuli' 
lying  liKe  lead  upon  hi--  heart,  that   he  wa-   now 
•  tteii  and  forsiKen  liy  all  the  world. 


BOOK  SECOND. 


BOOK  SECOND. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  farther  we  advance  in  our  history,  thr 
more  do  we  perceive  the  advantages  of  that  ex- 
trmpore  writing,  the  example  of  which  we  have 
borrowed  from  the  great  modern  master  of  this 
exceedingly  pleasant  and  profitable  mode  of 
exercising  the  fancy  and  invention,  as  it  were, 
at  the  expense  of  history.  It  is  wonderful, 
with  what  a  charming  rapidity  the  thoughts 
flow,  and  the  pen  moves,  when  thus  disembar- 
r:i--ed  of  all  care  for  the  past,  all  solicitude  for 
the  future.  Incidents  are  invented  or  borrow 
ed  at  pleasure,  and  put  together  with  a  degree 
of  t-use  that  is  perfectly  inconceivable  by  a  plod 
ding  author,  who  thinks  before  he  speaks,  and 
stultifies  himself  with  long  cogitations  as  to  pro 
bability,  congruity,  and  all  that  sort  of  thing, 
\\hich  we  de-pi-e,  a<  appertaining  to  our  an- 


rient  and  irreconcilable  enemy,  common  sense. 
It  may  in  truth  he  affirmed  of  thi-  new  and  happy 
mode  of  writing,  thft(  it  yery  often  happens,  that  it 
cau-e-  less  trouble  to  the  author  than  to  the 
reader,  the  hitter  of  whom  not  unfre(|uenth . 
e-perially  if  lie  is  one  of  those  unreasona 
ble  per-on-  who  -ii|)po-e  that  nature  and  proba 
bility  are  nece-sary  part-  of  an  hi-torical  novel, 
will  be  sorely  pn/./.led  to  find  out  the  moti\e  of 

m  action,  or  the  mean.-  by  which  it  wa-  hrouirhl 

ibout. 

l>ut  whatevrr    may  be  the  profit  of  the  read- 
'•rtain    it  S-,    that  of  the  author    is  ama/.ini:- 
Iv  ••nhanei-d    hv    th«-    ;  velocity   attained 

by  thi.-    new    mode   ,.r   mlmm.      Certain    plod 
ding   wri'  •  h    a-    Fieldi'.  -.Met.  and 
other-,  whom  it    i.-    imnece--ary  lo    name,  \\rotr 
not  above  three  or  four  works  oj'thi-  sort  in  the 
'.vhole    e.iin-e  of  their    liv<'-:   and  what  wa-    the 
They     lived       from     hand     to 
mouth,  as    it  were,  for  want  of  a    know-led:.. • 
the  art  of  wriiinu  extempore  ;  and  were  obli 
to  put    up  with    an    immortality  of  fame,  uliieh 
they  could    never   enjoy.      In-tead   of  makh 
fortune   in  a  few     \car-    by  the    power  of  multi- 
plyinir    their    progeny,   they    fooli-hly  preferred 
10  }>  •               ••  years  in  tlie  unprofitable  bu-ine^ 


tONI^GSMARKE. 

of  copying  nature,  and  running  a  wild-goose 
chase  after  probability.  Now,  we  hold  that  an 
author  is  like  a  black  female  slave,  valuable  for 
the  rapidity  and  ease  with  which  she  produces 
her  offspring,  which  are  always  worth  something 
in  the  market.  As  to  the  colour,  shape,  and 
mental  qualities  of  the  bantling,  these  are  of 
little  consequence,  provided  it  is  of  a  good  siie, 
imd  comes  of  a  well-tried  breed. 

And  here  we  will  take  occasion  to  dilate  a 
little  more  copiously  upon  the  great  advan 
tages,  which  may  reasonably  be  expected  from 
the  apt  disposition  of  the  world,  to  imitate  thi> 
mode  of  writing  without  plan,  and  mixing  the 
opposite  ingredients  of  truth  and  falsehood. 
Books  must  of  necessity  multiply  so  fast,  that 
r\ erv  village,  and  every  individual  will,  after  a 
year  or  two  from  their  publication,  be  able  to 
purchase  a  library  of  them  for  little  or  nothing, 
.1-  is  the  case  with  a  vast  many  popular  works, 
which  in  a  little  time  come  upon  the  parish,  as  it 
were,  and  are  sold  to  whoever  will  afford  them 
house-room.  Thus  will  knowledge  be  wonder 
fully  disseminated,  and  every  body  come  to 
know,  not  only  what  did  happen,  but  also  what 
did  not  happen,  in  the  various  ages  and  countries 
of  the  world.  Nay,  we  should  not  be  at  all 
surprised  if,  under  the  increased  facilities  afforded 


'•1  MlflKK 

by  this  happy  invention  of  the  extempore, 

^^^^^^B ' 

•  I)    should  in   time  heroine  his  own   author. 
:ind  furnish  his  own  library,   at   t!;>  of 

paper  and  printing  only  ;  and  \vithout  any  troii- 
!.•!••  <if  thought  v.  hatever. 

We  »•<)'• Id  dilate  infinitely  on  this  copiou- 
-ubject,  did  \\e  not  feel  confident  that  the  reader 
:  be  l»y  this  time  extremely  impatient  to 
pursue  our  story.  We  will  therefore  content 
ourselves  with  expre-iim  a  firm  belief,  that,  a~ 
reliirion  and  polities  are  already  tauirht  through 
the  medium  of  fiction,  it  will  not  be  Ion- 
before  the  -<  nerally,  both  moral  and 

physical,  will  be  ineidcated  in  the  same  manner. 
U'e  confidently  predict  the  delightful  period 
when  hi>tory  will  be  universally  studied  throucrli 
the  medium  of  impossible  adventure,  and  truth 
•  tly  imbibed  in  the  fa^cinatinc  draught-  of' 
improbable  fiction;  when  younn  people  vjiall 
make  chemical  lo\e.  and  urain  each  other"-  a! 
tions  by  the  inevitable  force  of  lines,  lanireni>. 
atfiniu.  and  attraction  ;  and  when  the  consumma 
tion  of  all  thinirs  shall  hapj»en,  in  youny;  children 
beiiiL;  taught  their  A.  B.  C.  by  the  allur'nii:  and 
irresistible  temptation  of  being  able  iu  rear!  the 
»Va\erl\-  \o\el-.  in-tead  of  appealing  to  their 
low-born  appetites  through  the  \ulgar  medium 


CHAPTER  II. 


••  Sing,  sing — what  shall  I  sing? 
The  cat's  run  away  with  the  pudding-bag  string." 


WHILE  Dan  Cupid  was  shooting  his  arrow> 
with  such  effect  from  the  windows  of  the  prison, 
to  those  of  the  palace,  and  so  back  again,  the 
Heer  Piper  and  Madam  Edith  were  taken  up 
with  other  weighty  affairs,  that  prevented  am 
interference  with  the  young  people  on  their 
part.  His  Excellency  was  confined  to  his 
room  with  a  fit  of  the  gout ;  a  disorder,  which, 
according  to  the  theory  of  a  waggish  friend  of 
ours,  naturally  resolves  itself  into  three  distinct 
stages  in  its  progress.  The  first  is  the  swearing 
stage,  wherein  the  patient  now  and  then  indul 
ges  himself  with  damning  the  gout  lustily.  The 
second,  called  the  praying  stage,  is  when  he  softm- 
down  his  exclamations  into  "  O,  my  G — d  !"  or 
•'  bless  my  soul !",  and  the  like.  The  third,  and 
worst  of  all,  is  the  whistling  stage,  during  which 
the  patient  is  seen  to  draw  up  his  leg  with  a  long 
wh — e— — e — w!  accompanied  by  divers  contor^ 

VOL.  i.  6 


KOMNGSMARKE. 

tions  of  \  isage.  This  gout,  the  Heer  was  wont 
to  say,  was  the  only  inheritance  he  received  from 
his  father,  who  left  one  of  his  sons  the  estate 
without  the  gout,  and  the  other  the  gout  without 
the  estate;  which,  in  the  opinion  of  Governor 
Piper,  was  a  most  unjust  distribution. 

During  these  attacks,  the  Heer's  natural 
irascibility  of  temper  was,  as  mitrht  be  expected. 
itly  increased,  insomuch,  that  if  any  one 
came  suddenly  into  the  room,  or  opened  the 
door  with  a  noise,  or  walked  heavily,  so  as  to 
-hake  the  floor,  he  would  flourish  his  crutch  most 
manfully,  and  exclaim,  "der  teufel  hole  dich,  der 
•enschivenicel;11  or,  if  it  happened  to  be  Bom- 
hie  of  the  Fri'/.zled  Head,  "das  fount  rwrffrr 
xcfilurrr  dich  knutzevds  in  d(  n  boden,"  one  of  hi- 
niu-t  bitter  denunciation-.  Indeed,  the  only 
person  allowed  to  approach  him  was  the  fair  and 
liri-tina.  who.-e  southing  whisper.-,  and 
soft,  delicate  touch,  seemed  to  charm  away  his 
pains,  and  lull  his  impatient  spirit  into  temporary 
rest.  At  sin-It  time-,  he  would  lay  his  hand 
gently  on  her  head,  cry  "(iod  blc--  iliee,  ur\ 
daughter,"  and  close  his  eyes  in  (juict  resigna 
tion.  Such  is  the  balhi  of  fdial  affection  !  such 
the  divine  ministration  of  tender,  duteou- 
womau! 


KONINGSMARKE.  <i? 

On  these  occasions,  the  gentle  Christina  would 
glide  out  of  the  room  like  the  sylph  of  divine 
poetry,  and  seat  herself  at  her  window,  there  to 
indulge  her  newly  awakened  feelings,  and  sigh 
over  the  captivity  of  the  handsome  stranger. 

In  the  mean  while,  Madam  Edith  was  busily 
employed  in  the  investigation  of  some  stories 
circulating  in  the  village,  and  especially  in  .getting 
at  the  bottom  of  a  report  concerning  a  certain 
love  affair,  current  at  that  time.  Any  thing  of 
this  sort  gave  her  the  fidgets  in  a  most  alarming 
degree  ;  for  she  resembled  Queen  Elizabeth  in 
this  respect,  that  the  marriage  of  any  one  within 
the  sphere  of  her  influence,  gave  her  a  similar 
sensation  with  that  cherished  by  the  dog  in  the 
manger,  who  would  not  eat  himself,  nor  suffer 
any  body  else  to  eat.  However  this  may  be, 
aunt  Edith  was  so  completely  monopolized  by 
out-door  business,  that  she  paid  little  attention 
to  what  was  going  on  within,  and  suffered  her 
niece  to  do  as  she  pleased,  without  interruption. 

In  process  of  time,  the  Heer  Piper  became 
sufficiently  recovered  to  limp  about  with  crutch 
and  velvet  shoe,  and  take  an  interest  in  the 
affairs  of  the  village,  which,  in  his  opinion,  had 
Buffered  exceedingly  during  his  illness.  One 
day,  by  chance,  he  bethought  himself  of  the  Long' 


KONINGS51ARKK. 

Kinne,  and  pondered  how  it  cairn-  m  pa--  that 
lie  had  not  been  bronchi  to  confession  b\  ihi- 
time.  He  had  now  been  imprisoned  nearly  a 
fortnight,  and  (io\enior  Piper  held  him  to  br  • 
i  tonnh  piece  of  humanity,  if  he  did  not.  by  thi- 
linie.  teel  -omrwhat  compunction-,  under  the 

•  (unbilled  inlluence  of  xilimde  and  hiiimrr.     H« 
lorthwilh  determined  to   call    the  litir,  tall  youth 
IK  lore     hi>     privy     council,     and     accordingly, 
despatched  hi>  trusty  me>M'imrr(  'upid,  crand>on 
to  the   incomprehensible  Boml/ie  of  the  Krizzled 
Hi  ud.'o  summon  them  together. 

This  Cupid  was  a  trentleman  of  colour,  a> 
the  |)olite  phraM-  i>,  about  four  feet  and  a  hall 
liiirh,  with  an  ebony  complexion,  flat  nose,  lonu, 
urinklcd  f;n-e,  small  eyes,  sunk  in  his  head,  a 
uide  mouth,  hit.rh  cheeks,  bu>hy  eye-brows  an<l 
lid-,  >  in  all  bandy  legs,  of  the  cucumber 
outline,  and  lartre  splay  feet,  which,  it  is  affirmed, 
continued  to  increa-e  in  si/.e.  IOIILT  alter  every 
otht-r  part  of  him  had  done  crowing.  In  >hort. 
he  \v;i~.  lo  u-i>  tin-  phr:iM-  of  our  southern 

..•II,  •'  a  likely  fellow." 

< 'iipid  u;i-    reckoned    the   u  or>t   chap    in   the 
uhole   A'illatre,  bein-  a!u;i\s  at  the  head  ol'ev 

>f  juvenile  mischief;  and.  if  r«-port  >pok« 

•  ruth,  had  more  than  on< •«•  atiempted   to  >et    fin 


KONINGSMARKE.  69 

to  the  houses  of  persons  against  whom  he  had 
».  pique.  Lob  Dotterel's  fingers  itched  to  get 
hold  of  him;  but  the  awe  in  which  he,  together 
with  the  rest  of  the  villagers,  stood  of  his 
grandmother's  supernatural  powers,  checked 
the  surprising  vigilance  of  the  high  constable, 
and  saved  Cupid's  bacon  more  than  once.  The- 
boy,  who  was  now  supposed  to  be  about 
eighteen,  notwithstanding  his  diminutive  size, 
uas  as  obstinate  as  a  mule,  as  mischevious  as  a 
monkey,  and  as  ill-natured  as  a  bull-dog. 
Punishment  was  lost  upon  him,  and  kindness 
thrown  away.  Neither  one  nor  the  other  ever 
drew  a  tear  from  his  eye,  an  acknowledgement 
of  his  fault,  or  promise  of  future  amendment. 
Belonging,  as  he  did,  to  a  race  who  seemed 
born  to  endure,  both  in  their  native  Afric,  and 
i -very where  else,  he  suffered  in  silence,  and 
revenged  himself  in  the  obscurity  of  the  night. 
l»y  the  exercise  of  a  degree  of  dexterous  cunning, 
which  is  often  seen  among  those  whose  situation 
represses  the  impulses  of  open  vengeance. 

The  only  gleams  of  affection  or  attachment 
ever  exhibited  by  this  dwarfish  and  miserable 
being,  seemed  called  forth  by  his  grandmother, 
and  an  old  Swedish  cur,  belonging  to  the  Heer. 
If  any  flue  insulted  or  worried,  as  children  aiv 
6* 


KONINGSMABKE. 


uont  to  do,  the  old  woman,  or  the  old  dog,  Hi- 
rage  of  the  dwarf  was  terrible,  and  his  revenge 
bounded  only  b\  his  mean-  of  mi-chief.  Twici 
had  he  cut  open  the  head  of  a  villaire  urchin 
guilty  of  this  ofleiice,  with  a  large  stone,  and 
once  u;<-  on  the  point  of  stabbing  another,  if  he 
had  not  been  prevented.  Hi-  urandmother 
doated  on  him  with  that  ob-tinate  and  instincti\t 
lion,  which  i>  >o  often  called  forth  by  those 
very  (jualities  that  render  its  object  hateful  or 
i-onteniptible  in  the  eye>  of  tlu-  world.  As  to 
old  Ciri/i,  the  doir,  he  \\ould  obey  nobod\. 
follow  nobody,  fawn  on  nobody,  or  bite,  or  wati 
his  tail  at  the  bidding  of  any  earthly  beintr,  ex- 
•  •ept  the  b'ack  d«  arf  ( 'npicl,  but  on  all  occasion- 
••ondex-rnded  to  obey  the  behests  of  this  hi- 
puis>ant  ma- 

'i'hen  came,  in  due  time,  Wolfgang  Langfan- 
.  the  pottee-baker,    Liuluitr  \  arlett,  the  shoe 
maker,  who.  if  he  ever  heard  the  old  proverb  nt 
.tutor,  &;<-.  desj)i-ed  it  with  all  his  heart,  and  Ma>- 
ter  Oldale,  fat  and  plump  as  a  barrel  of  his  o\vn 

ruce  l>fcr.  all  Lrood  men  and  true,  and  member- 
of  hi-  .M  ouncil  in  the  good  town  of  Kl- 

-intrburirh.      After  the  different  "  howdoon  \ 
had  been  exchanged,  and  the    Heer  had  gi\en  y 
full,   true,   and    particular  history  of   his    late 


KONlNGSilARKE.  71 

n't  of  the  gout,  he  opened  his  business,  and 
Lob  Dotterel,  who  always  instinctively  attended 
on  these  occasions,  was  despatched  for  the  Long 
Finne.  In  the  mean  time,  the  Heer  and  his  coun- 
ril  lighted  their  pipes,  and  took  their  seats  with 
most  imposing  dignity.  Master  Lob  fulfilled 
his  duty  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  and  the  Long 
Pinne  appeared  in  the  high  presence,  with  pretty 
much  the  same  air  of  indifference  as  before,  and 
with  a  rosy  complexion,  which  puzzled  the  Heer 
not  a  little,  till  he  resolved  the  thing  into  a  blush 
of  conscious  guilt. 

•'  Well,  henckers  knecht"  said  the  Heer,  "have 
you  come  to  your  senses  by  this  time  f " 

"  I  am  no  henckers  knecht"  replied  the  Long 
Finne,  "  and  I  have  never  been  mad,  all  my 
life." 

"  Der  teufel  hole  dick"  exclaimed  the  Heer. 
\\  axing  wrotli  ;  "  dost  think  to  brave  it  out  with 
me  in  this  manner,  der  ans  dem  land  gejacter 
herll  Where  gottest  thou  that  handful  of  Mark 
Ncwby's  halfpence  ?  answer  me  that,  der  tevfd* 
braden," 

"  Ask  Lob  Dotterel,'1  replied  the  youth ;  "  he- 
saw  me  receive  them  in  change  for  a  rix-dollar. 
from  a  stranger  who  passed  through  the  vil- 
lage." 


KONINGSMARKE. 

v<  Der  teufd  .'"  exclaimed  the  Heer,  and  ihetv- 
itpon  the  three  members  of  the  council  gave  a 
simultaneous  pufl'  extraordinary,  expressive  of 
astonishment. 

•  Harkye,  Lob  Dotterel,"  said  the  Heer. 
••  did'st  see  the  Long  Finne  receive  this  money 
in  change  from  the  stranger  :" 

"  1  did,"  replied  master  hiirh   constable,    who 
MI  to  feel  his  prisoner   slipping  through  hi- 
fingers. 

"  Verflurht     ii/u/    vcrdamt  .'"     exclaimed   the 
I  (  er,  da-hinir  the  ashes  from  his  pipe  in  a  mortal 
passion  ;  "  and  why  didst  not   tell  me  so  befoi>. 
•  'l«ni  schivenkrl  /" 

"  'Twain  my  l>u-ine>s,"  quoth  Lob  ;  "your 
i%\(  i  llency  :dw:i\s  tells  me  not  to  put  in  my  oar, 
till  1  am  called  to  speak." 

"Put  him  to  his  bible  oath,"  said  the  Ileer. 
who  held  that,  thouah  the  oath  of  a  witnr--  u;i~ 
not  i  .  to  the  coiniiiittingof  a  person  to 

jail.  \et  was  it  indispensable  to  his  release. 
Whereupon  Woli'mmi:  Lanufan^er,  the  pottee- 
Ijaker,  pulled  out  of  his  breeches  pocket,  a  mar- 
\ellously  ureasy  little  square  book  with  silver 
•  •lasps,  which,  haviutr  <lr>t  rubbed  bright  on  the 
.•  of  his  coat,  he  handed  to  the  Heer.  Lob 
Ootterel  was  then  incontinently  put  to  his  corpo- 


KONINGSMARKE.  73 

ral  oath,  and  confirmed  the  account  which  the 
prisoner  had  given  of  his  coming  into  the  posses 
sion  of  such  a  quantity  of  Mark  Newby's  half 
pence. 

"Dergalgen  schivenkel!"  exclaimed  the  Heer, 
shaking  his  crutch  at  Lob  Doterel,  who  looked 
rather  sheepish,  and,  for  that  matter,  so  did  his 
Excellency.  However,  he  gathered  himself  to 
gether,  and  forthwith  pronounced  so  discrimina 
ting  ajudgment  on  the  case,  that,  had  not  .the 
town  of  Elsingburgh  been  destroyed  long  ago, 
it  would,  doubtless,  have  been  remembered  to  this 
day  in  the  traditions  of  the  inhabitants.  Mus 
tering  together  his  recreant,  runaway  dignity,  he 
decided,  that  he  should  divide  his  judgment  into 
two  parts.  And  first,  as  he,  Koningsmarke,  sir- 
named  the  Long  Finne,  was  acquitted  of  treason 
able  practices  in  regard  to  the  possession  of 
Mark  Newby's  halfpence,  he  should  be  released 
from  prison.  Secondly,  that  inasmuch  as  he  had 
not  been  able  to  give  a  good  account  of  himself, 
and  of  his  motives  for  coming  to  the  village,  lie 
should  be  again  remanded  to  jail,  on  suspicion  of 
certain  designs,  which,  as  yet,  did  not  sufficiently 
appear  to  the  satisfaction  of  his  Majesty's  go- 
\  eminent.  The  rest  of  the  council  signified 
i  heir  approbation,  according  to  custom,  by  saying 


KONINGS1CABKE. 


nothing ;  for  it  ought  to  have  been  premised  that 
the  Heer  Piper,  as  the  representative  of  majesty, 
held,  that  though  bound  to  consult  his  council, 
he  was  not  bound  to  pay  any  attention  to 
their  ophiions.  In  fact,  it  was  his  maxim,  that  a 
council  was  of  no  other  use  to  a  Governor,  than 
to  bear  the  blame  of  any  unlucky  or  unpopular 
measure. 

As  Lob  Dotterel  placed  his  withering  paw 
<>n  the  shoulder  of  the  Long  Finne,  that  myste 
rious  and  unaccountable  youth  took  occasion  to 
except  to  the  Governor's  assertion  that  he  had 
not  been  able  to  give  a  good  account  of  himself. 

"  If  your  Excellency  is  not  -atisfied,  1  will 
begin  again,  :mil  *-riv<'  you  the  history  of  my 
family,  from  the  flood,  in  which  some  of  my  an 
cestors  were  doubtless  drowned,  to  the  present 
time,  when" — 

••  When,"  interrupted  the  Heer,  "  one  of  their 
f  rity,  at  least,  is  in  some  danger  of  br'mt:. 
hanged.  Hrironr,  //>  /•  am  tfnn  landgqacter  kn-l. 
\\\;<v  with  him  to  prison." 

The  Long  Finne  bowed  with  a  sly  air  of  ironi 
cal  submission,  shrutruvd  his  shoulders,  and  qui 
etly  submitted  to  the  guidance  of  th<«  hiirh  con- 
-table  of  Elsingburg. 


CHAPTER  III. 


"  Lady  bird,  lady  bird, 

Fly  away  home, 
Your  house  is  on  fire, 

Your  children  will  burn." 


IT  was  on  a  Saturday  afternoon  that  the 
Long  Finne  was  remanded  to  prison,  in  the 
manner  detailed  in  the  last  chapter.  The 
gentle  Christina  wept,  and  wrung  her  hands  ; 
for  he  must  know  little  of  the  heart  of  a  woman, 
who  cannot  comprehend  to  what  a  degree 
the  exercise  of  those  good  offices  conferred 
upon  the  Long  Finne,  through  the  instrumental 
ity  of  Bombie,  together  with  the  pity  she 
felt  for  his  unmerited  imprisonment,  had  soften 
ed  the  heart  of  this  gentle  girl  towards  the  tall, 
fair  youth.  She  besought  the  Frizzled  Head  to 
carry  him  his  supper  as  usual  ;  but  that  ancient 
sybil  pertinaciously  replied  with  her  eternal 
sing  song  of  "  I  have  seen  what  I  have  seen — 1 
know  what  I  know." 

The  blue-eyed  damsel  of  the  north  could ne^t 


76  KOSlffGSMARKE. 

sleep  that  night,  which  turned  out  dark  and 
dismal.  She  sat  at  her  window,  and  the  death 
like  silence,  unbroken  by  a  single  sound,  save  the 
howling  of  the  north-east  wind,  added  to  her 
feelings  of  desolation.  Through  the  black  void 
that  separated  the  prison  and  the  palace,  she 
could  see  the  Long  Fimie  paring  past  the  grated 
window,  from  which  poured  the  light  of  his 
lamp.  When  it  disappeared,  supposing  the 
youth  had  gone  to  rest,  Christina  threw  herself 
on  her  bed,  and  after,  long  and  troubled  uake- 
fulness,  sunk  into  an  unquiet  sleep,  haunted  b\ 
dreams  even  more  doleful  than  her  wakiim 
thoughts. 

She  was  roused  by  a  glaring  litrht  shining 
full  into  the  room,  with  a  brightness  that  asto 
nished  and  alarmed  her.  Starting  up,  and  run 
ning  to  the  window  that  looked  towards  thr 
prison,-!  iuht  that  froze  her  blood  into 

horror.  The  bar-  of  the  prison  seemed  like 
those  before  a  red-hot  furnace,  and  all  within 
exhibited  a  fiery  redness.  Anon,  the  flame- 
(toured  forth  from  the  windows  of  the  keeper's 
apartment,  in  lilarhiir  volumes,  ad\aneinir  and 
•HiiL!  a-  the  different  currents  of  air  obtained 
a  mastery.  To  utter  a  loud  shriek,  to  run  to 
her  father,  and  to  awaken  the  whole  household. 


KONINGSMARKE. 

was  the  work  of  a  moment ;  and  in  a  few  minutes 
afterwards,  all  was  noise  and  confusion  in  the 
village  of  Elsingburgh. 

Every  man,  woman,  child,  and  dog  in  the 
town  was  out,  lending  assistance  to  the  uproar, 
and  impeding, in  someway  or  other,  the  attempts 
made  by  a  few  persons,  not  quite  out  of  their 
senses,  to  stop  the  progress  of  the  flames. — 
Tongue  cannot  describe,  nor  imagination  con 
ceive,  the  discordant  cries  of  "fire,  fire,"  the 
shrieks  of  women,  and  the  howls  of  dogs,  that 
mingled  in  the  mighty  uproar,  and  drowned 
the  voices  of  those  who  attempted  to  give  direc 
tions  for  preventing  the  fire  Jrom  spreading  into 
the  village. 

With  much  difficulty  they  forced  the  outer 
door,  which  led  to  the  keeper's  apartments, 
where  they  found  that  trusty  blade,  Gottleib 
Schwashbuckler,  and  his  wife,  fast  asleep  in  each 
other's  arms,  in  spite  of  the  shriekings  of  the 
little  urchins  within,  and  the  uproar  without. 
The  truth  is,  that  Saturday  night  was  general 
ly  devoted  by  Master  Gottleib  and  his  fat  rib, 
to  certain  loving  tipplings,  which  commonly 
ended  in  their  both  going  to  sleep,  just  on  the 
.spot  where  they  took  the  last  glass  together. 
On  this  night,  the  fire  in  an  adjoining  room. 

VOL.  i.  7 


vvhich  M-ned  a>  parlour  and  kitchen,  had  hern 
left  hiirnini:,  for  the  purpose  of  drvinir  Madam 
Schwashbuckler's  best,  and  indeed  only,  muslin 
irown,  (an  article  which  conferred,  at  that  time. 
no  little  distinction  on  the  possessor,)  together 
with  certain  other  articles  of  dress,  intended  for 
Ate  husband  and  children  the  en-nin^  Sunda\. 
Hesides  tliese,  there  was  in  the  chimue\  corner, 
a  quantity  of  liirht  wood,  which  Master  (jottleib. 
uho  smelt  a  storm  that  ni^ht,  had  collected 
together  for  the  use  of  the  morrow.  Either  the 
clothes  had  taken  fire,  and  communicated  to  the 
dry  wood,  or  the  latter  had  first  cauirht.  and 
romnnmicati'd  to  the  former  ;  for  this  i>  one  of 
tho-e  knotty  difficulties,  which  even  authors. 
uho  know  so  many  secrets,  are  often  unable 
to  resohe. 

He  thi>  as  it  nia\,    when    the   door   was  burst 
open,   the    flames    had    M,    far   advanced,    that   a 

few  minutes  more  and  it  had  been  all  over  with  the 

ancient  family  of  the  Schw  ashbuclsli  i  -.  \^  the 
door  oj)ened  the  little  brood  rushed  out  like  M, 

many teged partridges ;  but  it  waswiih  no  little 
difficulty  that  the  sleeping  pair  were  made  to 
comprehend  their  situation,  and  with  still  more 
that  they  were  trot  out  of  the  bnildiuu.  it  beine 


KONINGSMABEE.  <•' 

iheir  pleasure  to  stay  and  dispute  which  wu-  i<> 
blame  for  this  catastrophe. 

The  opening  of  the  large  door,  which  fronted 
the  direction  from  which  the  wind  was  blowing, 
having  given  an  impulse  to  the  flames,  the> 
almost  instantaneously  communicated  to  the 
only  staircase  that  led  to  the  upper  story  of  the 
prison.  It  was  now  in  vain  to  attempt  saving 
the  building,  and  accordingly,  one  part  of  the 
community  were  employing  themselves  in 
sprinkling  the  roofs  of  such  houses  as  were 
most  exposed  to  the  flakes  of  fire,  which  now 
began  to  soar  into  the  air,  while  others  were 
quietly  looking  on  in  gaping  wonderment, 
sometimes  watching  the  reflection  of  the  flames, 
that  at  one  moment  spread  upwards  on  the 
bosom  of  the  dark  sky,  and  at  another  receded, 
leaving  them  darker  than  before.  Others  were 
adding  to  the  horrors  of  the  scene,  by  wailing. 
and  cries  of  fire,  fire,  although  by  this  time. 
every  one  was  collected  from  far  and  near. 

At  this  moment  the  mysterious  Bombie 
rushed  among  the  crowd,  rryinu'  out.  in  -i  \ 
that  overpowered  the  infernal  uproar, — "  Shann 
on  the  pale-faced  nice  !  They  will  let  one  of 
their  colour  perish  in  the  flames,  without  e^;)\  in<. 
to  relieve  him,  as  if  he  were  one  of  those  \e  call 
the  posterity  of  the  first  murderer  !" 


KOMM.SJUHK.K. 

••  There  i>  nobody  in  the  prison  !"  t.' 
half  a  hundred  \oices. 

"  There  is,  1  tell  you,"  replied  the  sybil. — 
••  Look  !  Me  ye  not  a  shadow,  passing  among 
the  lights  in  yonder  room  ':  See  %»•  not  that  he  i- 
putting  forth  his  hands  through  the  grates,  im 
ploring  a-H-tance  .'  Si-  y«  not  how  he  trie- 
to  urench  the  iron  from  its  fixture  in  the  last  ef 
fort  ofde>pair.  Hi  •  i-  innocent — at  least,"  mut 
tered  she  to  herself,  u  lie  is  innocent  of  the  crimp 
for  which  he  is  here — would  I  could  say,  of  all 
others." 

••  A  ladder  !  a  ladder  !"  cried  half  a  hundred 
\oice-  at  once.  But  alas  !  there  was  no  ladder 
io  be  had  loner  enough  to  reach  the  window. 

The  person  of  master  Gottlieb  Schwashbucklcr 
died  for  the  key  of  the  room  where 
the  prisoner  was  confined,    and   all  his  pocket- 
turned    inside  out    to  no  purpose.      At   la>t  that 
worthy,    after  rubbing    his  ryes,  -eratchhiL;    hi- 
I,  and  y.iwnini:   half  a   do/rn  time-,    avowed 
hi>  firm  belief  that  he  had  locked  the  room  care- 
fulh  'i»fer?  :i'>d  :••>   carefully  left   the   ke\ 

-ticking  in  the  Kevhole.      ^.  \rrai  aii»-i]i|ii>  wen- 
now    made.   l»y    diffen-nt  JX-I-.-OM-.  to  a-cend   the 
anrl  unlock    the    door,  uhieh   was    noi 
iiion-  than  tv.  <  om  it  :  but  the\  all  return- 


KONINGSMARKE.  81 

ed  without  success,  some  with  their  hair  singed, 
others  with  scorched  hands,  and  almost  suffoca 
ted  ;  in  short,  all  now  declared  that  relief  was 
entirely  hopeless. 

Bombie  now  advanced  a  little  before  the  rest, 
leaned  upon  her  horn-headed  stick,  and  cried  out 
with  an  almost  supernatural  voice — "  Konings- 
marke!" 

"  I  hear" — answered  a  voice  from  within. 

"  Koningsmarke — thy  fate  is  in  thine  own 
hands ;  all  human  help,  save  thine,  is  vain. 
Exert  thy  strength  upon  the  door,  or  upon  the 
iron  bars.  Thou  art  strong,  and  thou  art  despe 
rate  ;  exert  thyself  and  be  free,  or  perish — as 
thou  deservest,"  said  the  sybil,  ending  in  a  low 
mutter. 

At  that  moment  there  was  a  crash  within  the 
building,  and  the  disappearance  of  the  youth 
was  announced  by  a  groan  from  die  spectators, 
whose  noisy  exclamations  now  sunk  into  a  hor 
rible  silence.  A  minute  or  two  after,  he  appear 
ed  again,  at  the  window,  having  employed  the 
interval  of  his  disappearance  in  attempting,  in 
vain,  to  force  the  door.  Now  he  made  a  despe-r 
rate  effort  at  the  bars  of  one  of  the  windows, 
but  they  resisted  his  strength.  "The  other  !  the 
other!"  cried  the  sybil. 
7* 


KONINGSMARKK. 

He  es>a\  ed  die  other  without  success.  "  Ti- 
in  vain,"  cried  the  \ until,  in  despair.  "I  perish 
here:  remember!  remember!" 

"  Remember  thou  !"  shrieked  the  old  woman: 
••  Remember  that  the  dove  of  thv  christian  le 
gend  went  forth  thrice,  ere  she  found  what  -h< 
sought.  Try  once  again." 

He  tried  attain,  but  in  vain — the  bars  >hook. 
hut  did  not  yield. 

"Once  more,"  cried  she,  "for  the  sake  of 
thv  benefactress." 

He  essayed  again  with  convulsive  strength — 
the  bar-  -hook — moved — the  wall  in  which  ihe\ 
uere  iiisrrted  trembled — irave  wa\ — and  the 
whole  fell  into  the  room.  A  shout  of  triumphant 
humanity  annomced  the  event.  "  .lump — jump 
for  thy  lif«-  !"  <  iicd  out  one  and  all,  for  that  wa- 
>!il\  \\a\  to  escape.  Konmgsmarke  IIUIIL; 

i  moment,    with  hi-    hand-,   from  the  Bid 
Broken  \\indow.  and  at   length,  leitinu   him- 
-eli'  i'»  the  -_round  in-'-n-ible. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


•  And  why  may  not  I  love  Johnny  ? 
And  why  may  not  Johnny  love  me  ? 
And  why  may  not  I  love  Johnny, 
As  well  as  another  body  ?" 


WHERE  was  the  fair  and  gentle  daughter  oi' 
the  Heer,  while  what  we  have  detailed  in  the 
last  chapter  was  passing  f  That  innocent  and 
tender-hearted  maiden,  checked  by  the  innate 
sense  of  propriety,  which  is  the  truest  safeguard 
of  virtue,  and  restrained  by  the  timidity  of  new 
born  affection,  remained  at  home  in  a  state  of  the 
most  painful  anxiety.  She  despatched  the  old  sybil 
Bombie  to  bring  her  information,  and  then  stood 
at  her  window,  watching  with  increasing  agita 
tion,  the  progress  of  the  devouring  element. 
She  could  distinguish,  by  the  glaring  light,  the 
Granger  youth,  sometimes  standing  at  the 
window,  as  if  imploring  his  rescue,  and  every 
time  he  disappeared,  a  hope  arose  in  her  bosom, 
that  the  door  had  been  opened  for  his  escape. 
But  lie  returned  again,  and  again, while  at  even 


KONINGSMAUKK 


new  disappointment,  her  agitation  increased  j 
until  at  length,  when  she  heard  the  crash  of  the 
falling  staircase,  and  saw  a  shower  of  burning 
cinders  rise  into  the  air,  the  blood  rushed  to  her 
heart,  and  her  senses  became  for  a  while 
suspended. 

With  the  lir-t  moment  of  returning  animation, 
tin-  lair  Christina  beheld  the  black  s\bil  standing 
o\er  her,  muttering  one  of  her  incomprehensible 
-pell-,  in  a  low  and  sepulchral  voice.  "I-  he  -ale." 
a-kedthe  maiden,  fearfully. 

••The  wolf  i-  auain  abroad,  and  let  the  inno- 
•  •ent  lanih  beware,"  replied  the  Fri/y.led  Head. 

"What  in  the  name  of  Heaven  meanest  thou. 

by  thy  parable  of  the  wolf  and  the  lamb!  Be 
-ilent,  or  tell  all  thou  knowe.-t.  I  beseech  thee,'r 
-aid  the  -tartled  girl. 

••  The  -lave  cannot  wii  ;i-t  the  ma-ter. 

nor   the  colour    I  bear,  te-tily  atrain>t    thine.      I 
have    -een    uhat    I     have    -ecu  —  I     know   what  I 
know  .    Sleep  out  the  re.-t  of  thi<  niaht  in  the  B!( 
of  innocence,  for  no  one  knows    Itut    it   Inay    be 
the  I, 

iviiiir,  the  mysterious  monitor  bade  her 
\ounu  mi-tress  good  night,  and  retired,  leaving 
poor  Christina  to  inu-e  with  jiainful  curio.-ity  on 
her  dark  and  in-crutable  oracles. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  Heer  Piper  had   been 


KONINGSMARKE. 

apprised  of  the  situation  of  the  Long  Finne, 
who,  as  we  have  before  stated,  was  taken  up 
insensible,  after  his  fall  from  the  window  of  the 
prison.  Though  a  testy,  impatient  little  man, 
the  Heer  was,  at  the  bottom,  neither  ill-natured 
nor  malignant.  He  could  not  reflect  on  the  immi 
nent  danger  to  which  his  suspicions  had  exposed 
the  stranger  youth,  without  a  painful  feeling  of 
remorse,  or  contemplate  his  present  forlorn  and 
desolate  condition,  without  compassion.  Yield 
ing  to  his  feelings,  he  directed  that  the  Long 
Finne  should  be  brought  to  his  palace,  where 
he  was  placed  on  a  bed,  and  every  means  in 
their  power  used  for  his  recovery.  It  was  for 
some  time  doubtful  whether  the  soul  and  the 
body  had  not  parted  forever  ;  but  at  length 
the  youth  opened  his  eyes  with  a  long-drawn 
sigh,  then  shut  them  again  for  a  few  moments, 
during  which,  nature  seemed  to  struggle  be 
tween  life  and  death.  At  length,  however,  the 
desperate  contest  was  over ;  the  colour  gradual 
ly  rame  back  into  his  cheeks,  and  he  seemed  to 
recognise  the  Heer,  who  had  watched  his  revival 
\vjth  no  little  solicitude. 

The  recovery  of  the  Long  Finne,  who  \\a> 
-oivlv  bruised  with  his  fall,  was  slow  and 
gradual,  but  it  wa<  at  last  completed,  and  In: 


HOMNGS.MARHI  . 

became  a  man  a^ain.  Unwilling  any  longer 
to  tre*pass  on  the  hospitality  of  the  I  leer,  the 
\ouim  man  one  day  took  an  opportunity  to 
e\pre*s  hi*  deep  and  indelible  sense  of  the 
obligation*  lie  owed  to  the  Heer  and  his  family. 
hi*  inability  to  repay  tlicm  for  the  present, 
hi*  hope  that  providence  would  onr  dav  |)iit  it 
in  his  pirn rr,  and  fmallv,  hi*  resolution  to  de 
part  on  the  morrow.  The  Lonii  Finne  had  no\\ 
been  an  inmate  of  the  palace.  *omeuhat  more 
than  a  moiitli.  and  during  all  that  time  expe 
rienced  unvarvinu  Kindne.**.  It  i*  one  of 
the  most  noble  and  delightful  characteristic- 
of  our  nature,  that  whatever  ma\  be  our  fir*t 
motive  lor  be*towinu  kindne**  <m  u  lellou  erea- 
ture,  we  cannot  continue  long  to  do  so,  without 
in  time  romini:  to  love  the  object  of  our  bene 
volence.  Mankind,  indeed,  are  prone  to  become 
Ungrateful  for  favour*  received,  and  to  feel  un- 
at  the  *i'_rht  of  a  beiiefaclor  ;  but  the  be- 
tf  brnetil*  i*  never  without  hi-  reward 

be    complaceiicv    of     hi*    feelinir.*,    and    the 
apj»rol)ation  of  hi*  own  heart.      There  is,  too,  ;i 

il  feelinur  in  human  nature,  which  is  nurtured 
by  dome>ti(     intercourse,    and    which    uraduallv 
rli*>ipate*   lia*iv     and      unfounded      prejudi' 
*ince  it  is  hardly  possible  to  live   in   the    same 


I 

K.ONINGSMARKE. 

house  with  a  person  whose  manners  are  tolerably 
conciliating,  without  feeling  something  of  that 
species  of  neighbourly  good  will,  which,  after 
all,  is  the  strongest  cement  of  society. 

It  was  so  with  the  Heer  Piper,  who  felt  njo 
little  complacency  of  spirit,  when  he  looke'rl 
back  upon  the  various  claims  his  late  kindness 
had  given  him  and  his,  on  the  gratitude  of  the 
youth.  When,  therefore,  he  heard  the  propo 
sition  for  to-morrow's  departure,  it  was  with 
something  like  a  feeling  of  dissatisfaction. 

"  Why,  hang  it,  Long  Finne,"  he  exclaimed, 
•'I  hope  there  is  no  ill-blood  between  us  about 
the  affair  of  Mark  Newby's  halfpence — eh !" 

"I  were  ungrateful  if  I  remembered  that," 
said  the  youth.  "  Thou  hast  buried  it  for  ever 
under  the  recollection  of  a  thousand  kindnesses. 
F  remember  nothing,  but  that  I  owe  my  life, 
worthless  as  it  is,  to  you." 

"Well,  well,"  replied  the  Heer,  "I  will  tell 
thee  what.  Thou  sayest  thou  art  friend]c>.>. 
and  without  money,  and  where  wilt  thou  find 
cither  one  or  the  other,  in  this  wilderness  f" 

"Alas!  I  know  not,"  replied  the  youth; 
"  but  it  is  better  to  go  forth  in  search  of  ur^.v 
friends,  than  to  tire  our  old  ones." 

"Der  tevful  hole  dicfi"  cried  the  fiery  and 


88  KONINGSMARKE. 

puissant  Heer  ;  "who  told  thro  thy  old  friend- 
were  tired  of  thee  ?  are  my  household  negligent, 
or  do  I  treat  thee  with  any  more  ceremony  than 
;i  kitten?  'Slife  Master  Long  Finne,  but  thai 
the  jail  is  unluckily  burnt  down,  I'd  clap  thre 
up  again,  for  such  a  false  suspicion,  I  would — 
der  teufel  hole  ilich.'' 

"  But  1  have  not  been  used  to  live  onchariu  .' 
rejoined  the  youth. 

"Charitv!''    furiously    exclaimed    the  Heer. 

•'Charity!    rtrjliirfit  in/d  vrrdci  nit'.    why,  Vdeath. 

am  not  I  Governor  of  this  territory,  and  <  an't  1 

take  a  man   into  my  palace  out   of  in\  own  free 

will    and    pleasure,    without    beinc;   accused    of 

charity,  and  having   the   matter  thrown  into  im 

teeth,  tin-  ttnfrl !     Harkye,  Long  Finne,' either 

•••v  in  my  house  till  1  can   provide1  for  thee,  or 

the    immortal   glory  of  the  trreat  (iustavu*. 

clap    thee    up   between    four  >tone  \\  alls,  if  I 

lother  jail  on  pure 

4  Thou    shalt    not     need/'    replied    the    LOIIL 

smiling;  "I  will  not  run  a\\a\  from  son. 

«    I  ma\    make    myself  useful,  at  l»-a»t  in 

1    danger.      1   was  once  a  >oldier,   and  if 

a.tres   should     ever   attempt    the    fort.     I 

•pay  some  of  my  obligation-." 

"Very  well,"  quoth  the  Heer  ;  "  a\\a\    with 


KONINGS5IARKE.  8<) 

thee  j  and  harkye,  if  I  hear  any  thing  more  abour 
that  d — d  charity,  I'll  set  that  mortal  speechifier, 
the  Snow  Ball,  at  thee,  for  I  perceive  thou  an 
more  afraid  of  her  confounded  smoked  tongue 
than  of  der  teufel."  As  the  Heer  said  this,  he- 
looked  round  rather  apprehensively,  as  if  to  ser 
whether  the  Snow  Ball  was  not  within  hearing, 
knowing  full  well  that  if  he  affronted  her,  sh< 
would  spoil  his  pepper-pot  for  him  at  supper. 

The  Long  Finne  bowed,  and  left  the  high 
presence  of  the  representative  of  majesty,  and 
from  thence  went  to  a  place  where  he  w;i- 
pretty  certain  of  meeting  the  charming  Christina, 
who  had  ministered  to  his  sick  bed,  like  a 
guardian  sylph — Pshaw!  like  a  gentle,  com 
passionate,  sweet-souled  woman  !  who  is  worth 
all  the  sylphs  that  ever  sung  or  flitted  in  (lit- 
vacuum  of  a  poet's  brain. 

"  Art  thou  going  away  to-morrow  .?"  askerl 
Christina,  with  her  blue  eye  cast  to  the  earth. 

"  No,"  replied  the  youth  with  a  smile  ;  "  tin 
lather  threatens  me  with  building  anew  prison  if  1 
talk  of  departing.  I  will  stay,  and  at  least 
lose  my  liberty  more  pleasantly." 

That  evening,  the  Long  Finne  and  the  gen 
tle  Christina  walked  on  the  white  sand  beach, 
that  skirted  the  wide  expansive  river,  over 

VOL.  i.  8 


JMNHi   . 

whose  placid  bosom,  the  south  wind 
-ailed,  and  the  moonbeams  sprinkled  a  million 
of  little  bright  reflection*,  that  danced  on  the 
\\a\vi,  as  they  broke  in  gentle  murmurs  on  thr 
pebbly  shore.  Night,  and  silence,  tho-e  tongur- 
tied  witnesses  of  the  lover'-  innocent  endear 
ments,  the  seducer's  accursed  art-,  the  murder- 
step,  the  flntnkard'l  reel,  and  the 
housele-s  \vre!cirs  wanderings — niuht,  and 

silence,  created  that  solitude,  in  which  happ\. 
youthful  lovers,  see  nothing  but  them-e' 
and  forget  that  they  exist  not  alone  in  thi- 
uorld.  The  almost  noiseless  monotony  of  the 
\va\t •>,  appearing,  breakinir,  vani-hiiii;  one  after 
another,  like  the  evanescent  trene.-aiimt-  of  man  ; 
the  spla-h  of  the  >tnri:eon.  at  IOIILT  intenaK. 
.jumping  up,  .  and  falling  back  a^ain  into  the 
\\aters;  these,  other  soothing  sound>. 
enticed  them  to  wander  far  down  thr 
-hore,  out  of  sight  and  out  of  hearing  of  the 
\  illage. 

All  at  once  they  were  startled  at  the  voice  i»l 
the  solitary,  ill-boding  Whipperwill,  whirl) 
whUtled  its  shrill  cry,  as  if  it  were  close  to  their 
.  althoudi  entirely  invisible.  "Whip-poor- 
will — Whip-poor-will,"  cried  the  bird  of  -uper- 
-titiou>  fear- :  and  that  moment  a  voice  wa- 


KONINGSMARKK,  91 

heard  from  the  bank  above  them,  exclaiming — 
not,  "  O,  yes  !  O,  yes  !"or  "  Hear  ye  !  Hear  ye  !" 
but  singing  the  following  wild,  mysterious  strain : 

They  sat  all  in  a  lonely  grove  ; 

Beneath  the  flowers  were  springing, 
And  many  a  bonny  bird  above, 

His  blithesome  notes  was  singing. 

With  harmless  innocence  of  look, 

And  eyes  so  sweetly  smiling, 
Her  willing  hand  he  gently  took, 

The  first  step  to  beguiling. 

\  kiss  he  begg'd — she  gave  a  kiss, 

While  her  cheek  grew  red  and  flushing  : 

For  o'er  her  heart  the  tide  of  bliss, 
With  thrilling  throb  was  rushing. 

lie's  gone  away, to  come  no  more; 

And  she  who  late  so  smiling, 
The  blush  of  health  and  youth  aye  WOK  . 

Now  mourns  her  sad  beguiling. 

Her  hope  is  cross'd,  her  health  is  lost, 

For  ever,  and  for  ever ; 
While  he,  on  distant  billows  toss'd, 

Returns  to  her — no,  never  ! 

She  wanders  lonely  to  and  fro, 

Forsaken  and  forsaking ; 
\nd  those  who  see  Jier  face  of  wo, 

See  that  her  heart  is  breaking. 


Tin-  \oice  and  the  figure  were  (liose  of  thf 
i-'ri/./.led  li.  ad.  \vho  possessed  the  musical  talent, 
M»  remarkable  a  characteristic  of  her  African 
:  and  who,  as  >he  was  seen  by  the  niooil- 
liulit,  >taiidiim  lialf  bent,  leaning  on  her  stick, 
.it  tin-  top  of  the  bank,  looked  like  an  old  witch. 
if  not  -oint'tliinpr  worse.  A-  -he  finished  thi- 
Ion;:  ditiy.  -  out,  in  a  Sepulchral  tout-. 

•  \lis.s  Christina,  vou'n-  wanted  at  lionu-  ;  the 
-upper  is  ready,  and  the  pepper-pot  is  gettin- 
i  old.  The  wolf  is  abroad,  li't  the  lamb  beware. 
1  h  what  I  have  seen — I  know  what  J 

know." 

So  saying,  -lie  mounted  her  stick,  whirl)  we 
rather  afraid  was  not  a  broomstick,  and 
capered  oil'  like  ;m  ostrich,  half  nmninir,  half 
ilyinu.  The  yoinm  couple  returned  to  the 
palace,  and  Christina  remarked  that  the  J, one 
Tinne  uttered  not  n  word  during  the  rest  of  th»- 


CHAPTER  V. 


Arthur  O'Bower  has  broken  his  ban>1. 
And  he  comes  roaring;  up  the  land  ; 
King  of  Scots,  with  all  his  power, 
Nover  can  turn  Sir  Arthur  O'Bower/' 


THE  summer  passed  away,  and  autumn  be 
gan  to  hang  out  his  many-coloured  flag  up 
on  the  trees,  that,  smitten  by  the  nighth 
frosts,  every  morning  exhibited  less  of  the  green, 
and  more  of  the  gaudy  hues  that  mark  thr 
waning  year  in  our  western  clime.  The  farmers 
of  Elsingburgh  were  out  in  their  fields,  bright 
and  early,  gathering  in  the  fruits  of  their  spring 
and  summer's  labours,  or  busily  employed  in 
making  their  cider  ;  while  the  urchins  passed 
their  holydays  in  gathering  nuts,  to  crack  by  the 
winter's  fire.  The  little  quails  began  to  whistle 
their  autumnal  notes ;  the  grasshopper,  having 
had  his  season  of  idle  sport  and  chirping  jollity, 
began  now  to  pay  the  penalty  of  his  thoughtless 
improvidence,  and  might  be  seen  sunning  hinv 
self,  at  mid-day,  in  melancholy  silence^  as  if  an-. 


h.OMM.-M\UXI 

ticipating  the  period  when  his  short  and  mem 

\\ould    be    rim.       Flocks   of  robin-    \\er»- 

inu  in   the   -outh,    to  seek    a   more  genial 

air  ;    tin-    >ober    cattle    beiran    to    as-uine  their 

nuiirh.    wintry  coal,  and   to   put  on  that   despe- 

nce  oi'  ennui,  with  whieh  all  nature 

-alute-  tin-  approach  of  winter.      The  little  blue 

bird  alone,  the  la-t  to   lea\e  u>,    and   the  iir>t  to 

return   in   the   sprinir,  sometimes  poured  out  hi- 

j)en-i\'e  note,    :i>    if  bidding  farewell  to   the   ne-l 

where  it   had  reared    it-  MHIHU.    ;i-    i-    set    forth 

in  the  following  ver>es.  indicted    \}\   Ma-ter    La- 

/aru-  IJirclieni.  eiewhile  liner  ger  to  the  small  frv 


\Vlif-,.  hunt. 

favourite  hamt, 

1  liio  iix   iiH-hini  li<)ly  home, 
I  '..I-  I 


•  .  when  all  the  tuneful  race 

it  their  wintry  hMin?  jilacr. 
Lingers,  and  sings  his  notes  awhile, 
Though  past  is  nature's  cheering  - 


And  when  I  hear  the 

II  i?  notes  a^iiin,  I  hail  the  spring; 

For  by  that  harbinger  I  know. 

The  flowers  and  zephyrs  »oon  will  Wow 


KONINGSUARKE. 

Sweet  bird  !  that  lovest  the  haunts  of  men. 
Right  welcome  to  our  woods  again, 
For  thou  dost  erer  with  thee  bring 
The  first  glad  news  of  coming  spring. 

All  this  while,  the  fair  Christina  and  the  tali 
youth  were  left  to  take  their  own  way  ;  to  wan 
der,  to  read,  to  sing,  and  to  look  unutterable 
things,  unobserved  and  unmolested,  save  by  the 
mysterious  and  incomprehensible  warnings  of 
the  black  sybil  of  the  Frizzled  Head,  who,  when 
ever  she  met  them,  was  continually  dinning  in 
their  ears  the  eternal  sing-song  of  "I  have 
seen  what  I  have  seen — I  know  what  I  know.'' 
At  such  interruptions,  the  eye  of  the  Long 
Finne  would  assume  that  fearful  expression 
which,  we  have  before  observed,  had  startled 
the  fair  Christina,  and  which,  now  that  she  felt 
;i  stronger  interest  in  the  youth,  often  occasion 
ed  a  vague  sensation  of  horror,  that  caused  her 
many  a  sleepless  night. 

The  situation  of  our  little  blue-eyed  Finland- 
er  became  every  day  more  painful  and  embar 
rassing.  The  consciousness  of  her  growing  in 
terest  in  the  Long  Finne,  the  obscurity  of  his 
character,  the  equivocal  expression  of  his  eye, 
and  the  mysterious  warnings  of  the  Frizzled 
Head,  all  combined  to  produce  a  sea  of  doubts 


KOMNGSMARKi:. 

and  fears,  on  which  her  heart  was  tossed  to  a 
fro.  At  times  she  would  resolve  to  alter  her 
deportment  towards  the  youth,  and  banish  him 
her  father's  house,  by  a  harsh  and  contemptuou.- 
indifference.  But  here  love,  in  the  form  of  pity, 
interfered.  Poor,  friendless,  and  unkixmn. 
where  should  he  find  a  refuge,  if  banished 
from  the  village?  He  would  be  forced  to  seeK 
the  \\oods,  herd  with  the  bands  of  Indians,  and 
heroine  himself  the  VTOrst  of  Savages,  a  \\hitr 
one.  At  other  times  she  determined  to  consult 
tumt  Edith.  But  that  good  lady,  as  ue  ob>er- 
\ed  before,  had  too  much  to  attend  to  abroad,  to 
mind  .1  flairs  at  home;  and  was  so  smitten  with 
a  desire  to  do  good  on  a  great  scale,  that  her 
sympathies  could  ne\er,  contract  theu»el\e>  to 
the  little  circle  of  the  domestic  fireside.  Her 
father  next  presented  himself  to  her  mind,  a- 
her  natural  guardian  and  counsellor.  Hut  thr 
I  leer,  though  lie  loved  her  better  than  pipe  or 
pepper-pot,  wa>  a  testy,  scolding  little  man  ; 
apt  to  speak  rather  more  than  he  thought,  and 
to  threaten  more  than  he  would  do.  Hem  < 
the  tender  apprehen-i\e  feeling  of  a  delicato 
L'irl.  thus  circumstanced,  shrunk  from  the  idea. 
perhaps  roughly  assailed  in  tiw  outset, 


KONISGSMARKE. 

Although,  in  the  end,  she  might  meet  with  affec 
tionate  sympathy. 

The  Heer,  at  this  time,  was  sorely  environed 
with  certain  weighty  cares  of  state,  that  perplex 
ed  him  exceedingly,  and  added  not  a  little  to 
the  irritability  of  his  temper.  He  was  engaged, 
tooth  and  nail,  in  a  controversy  about  bounda 
ries,  with  his  neighbour  William  Penn,  who,  it 
is  well  known,  was  a  most  redoubtable  adversary 
in  matters  of  paper  war.  Two  brooks,  about 
half  a  mile  apart  from  each  other,  and  having 
nothing  to  distinguish  them,  caused  great  dis 
putes,  with  respect  to  the  boundary  line  between 
the  territories  of  Coaquanock  and  Elsingburgh. 
Trespasses,  on  either  side,  occasioned  mutual 
complaints,  and  though  the  Heer  Piper  fell  into 
a  passion  and  swore,  the  other  kept  his  tamper, 
and  the  possession  of  the  territory  in  dispute 
besides.  In  order  to  settle  this  affair,  it  was 
proposed  to  send  an  envoy  to  Elsingburgh,  on 
the  part  of  those  of  Coaquanock,  and  accord 
ingly  he  made  his  appearance,  about  this  time, 
at  this  renowned  capital. 

Shadrach  Moneypenny,  as  he  was  called, 
for  Excellencies  and  Honourables  did  not  fly 
about  like  hail-stones,  at  that  time,  as  now,  was 
a  tall,  upright,  skin-and-bone  figure,  clothed 


KOMNGSMARK1;. 

from   head  to   foot,  in  a   suit  of  drab-coloured 
broad-cloth  ;  a   large    hat,  the    brim  of  which 

turned  up  behind,  and  without  any  appen- 

.••   that  approached   to  finery,   except  a  very 

-mall  pair  of  silver  buckle-  to  iii>  hiuh-quarter- 

Yet,  with    all    this    plaiimr--.    there 

a  en-tain  sly  air  of  extreme  far.-  in  the  ad 
justment  of  his  garments,  in  accordance  \\ith 
the  most  prim  simplicity,  that  shreudly  indica- 

triend  Shadrach  thought  «|iiile  a-  much 
of  his  appearance  as  other-,  ulio  dn •--< -<1  i 
gaudily  to  the  eye.  The  Long  Finne,  who  wa- 
-omewhat  of  a  mischeviouswag  at  times,  affirmed 
that  the  worthy  envoy  looked  very  much  as  if 
he  had  tone  through  the  same  prod  --of  u  a-hinu. 
clear-starchinir  and  ironinu,  with  his  pr. 
band  a^id  rigid  collar.  Shadrach  Money pennv 
rode  a  horse  seventeen  hands  hiirh,  and  propor- 
tionably  larire  and  jolly  in  his  other  dimen-ion-. 
which  afforded  a  perfect  contrast  to  the  leannr-- 
of  his  rider;  so  that  one  likened  them  unto  Pha- 
roah's  dream,  another  to  king  Porus  and  hi- 
elephant,  and  \arious  were  the  jokes  cracked 
upon  Shadrach  and  his  big  horse,  as  they  entered 
the  village.  It  was  with  much  ado  that  Lob 
Dotterel  could  prevent  the  bad  boys  from 
jeering  the  stranger,  as  they  sat  in  the  road. 


KONINGSMARKE.  9(J 

busily  employed  in  making  dirt  pies,  in  joy 
ful  anticipation  of  the  coming  of  the  Christmas 
h  olydays. 

The  Governor  received  the  envoy  in  full 
council. — And  here  it  occurs  to  us,  that  we  have 
not  properly  introduced  these  distinguished 
persons  to  the  reader,  an  omission  which  shall 
be  duly  supplied,  before  we  proceed  one  strp 
further  in  our  history. 

Wolfgang  Langfanger,  the  pottee-baker,  \va> 
the  greatest  smoker,  and  of  course  the  greatest 
man  in  the  village,  except  the  representative  of 
majesty  himself.  He  was,  in  time  past,  con 
sidered  among  the  most  prosperous  and  thriving 
persons  in  all  the  territories  of  New  Swedeland, 
being  an  excellent  baker  of  stone  pots,  some  of 
which  remain  to  this  day  in  the  houses  of  the 
descendants  of  the  ancient  inhabitants,  beauti 
fully  lackered  with  green  flowers,  and  bearing 
the  initials  of  W.  L.,  which  would  doubtless 
sorely  puzzle  future  antiquaries,  were  it  not  for 
this  true  history.  What  he  earned,  he  saved  ; 
and  being  manfully  assisted  by  his  spouse,  with 
in  doors,  he  gradually  waxed  wealthy,  inso 
much,  that  he  every  year  built  either  a  new  hen 
house,  pig-sty,  or  the  like,  and  whitewashed  his 
garden  fence,  in  spring  and  fall.  But  from  thr 


period  in  which  he  arrived  at  the  unexpected 
honour  of  being  of  the  King's  council,  his  head 
•Denied  turned  topsy-turvy,  and  his  good  help 
mate's,  inside  out.  Wolfgang  fell  into  such  a  tur 
moil,  re-pectinir  the  affairs  of  the  great  Gustavus, 

i,  at  that  time,  was  carrying  the  reformation 
on  the  point  of  his  sword  into  Germany,  that  In 
ne\er  baked  a  good  pot  afterwards;  while  his 
wife  hegan  to  scom  whitewashing  fences,  and 
churning  infamous  butter.  The  very  next  Sun- 
she  took  the  field  at  church,  dressed  in  a 

!i  of  the  same  piece,  and  a  cap  of  the  -ame 
fineness,  with  those  of  madam  Kdith,  to  the 

il  scandal  of  Dominie  Kanttwell,  and  the  utter 
-polling  of  aunt  Kdith's  pious  meditations  for 
that  day.  .More  than  that.  Wolfgang  beuau 
to  frer|iient  master  Oldale's  hou-e,  \\here  he 
talked  politics,  drank  ale,  smoked  his  pipe, 
till  the  co\\-  came  home,  and  u»»t  the  reputation 
n|'  a  loiiLr-headcd  person  that  saw  deep  into  fu- 

torii 

Sudden  wealth  and  sudden  honour  ruineth 
many  an  honest  man.  We  ha\e  seen  a  pri/.c 
in  the  lottery,  and  an  election  to  the  dignity  of 
-sor  or  alderman,  spoil  some  of  the  most 
\\orthv  tradesmen  in  the  world.  Thus  was  ii 
uith  Wolt'uantr  Lantrfanaer,  who  sprnt  his-  mo- 


KOSMXGSMARKF..  101 

ney,  and  neglected  his  business,  till  at  length  he 
had  not  a  fix-dollar  left,  and  his  reputation,  as  a 
pot-baker,  was  ruined  for  ever.  At  the  time  we 
-peak  of,  he  lived,  sometimes  upon  credit. 
<ometimes  by  his  wits  ;  the  former  he  em 
ployed  in  running  up  long  scores  with  master 
Oldale  ;  the  latter,  in  suggesting  divers  famous 
-chemes  for  the  improvement  of  Elsingburg, 
whereby  the  value  of  property  would  be  tre 
bled,  at  least,  and  every  soul  suddenly  become 
rich  :  but  of  these  anon.  Still,  the  dignity  of 
his  oflice  supported  him  in  the  midst  of  his  po 
verty  ;  for,  even  at  that  time,  it  was  possible  for  a 
irreat  man  to  live  sumptuously,  and  spend  other 
people's  money,  without  its  being  considered  a- 
any  disparagement  to  his  wonderful  talents  and 
honesty. 

The  second  member  of  his  Majesty's  council 
was  Othman  Pfegel,  who  had  some  pretensions 
to  an  old  Swedish  title  of  Baron,  which  lay  dor 
mant,  somewhere  under  the  polar  ice.  He  pro 
fessed,  what  was  called,  a  sneaking  kindness  for 
the  fair  Christina,  and  was  highly  in  the  favour 
of  the  Governor,  with  whom  he  was  very  socia 
ble,  insomuch  that  they  would  smoke  for  hours 
together,  without  uttering  a  word.  Truth,  how- 
r-ver,  our  inflexible  guide  in  this  history,  obligo> 

VOL.  i.  9 


KON1NGSUARKE. 


-     iir 


us  to  tint  the  only  o\  ert  act  of  ! 

committed   airainst    the    In-art    of  the   fai' 
Christina,  wa>,  always  pul'lini:  the  >rnoke  of  hi- 

towards  that  fair  dam>el,  whenever  >h< 

in  the  room,  which  was  held  a  sure  indication  of 

JK   i  to    which   his  inclinations   pointed. 

Othman  promising  youth, 

!  arrived  at  such  a  di.-tiniruish- 

cd  honour  at  the  early  ap>  of  forty-ci-ht ;  and 

then-  were  tho-r  who   did  not  >cruj)lf  to  hint  tliat 

.:lt-  d:i\  colii'  vci'lior  of  KK' 

burch.   Otlnnan  and  the  Long  Finn*  orn 

th<-  one,  cvinring  his  hostility,  \>\  coni- 

u  his  rhal  to  a  harn-door  in  a  frosty  morn- 

vvliicli      is     ahsay.-     siuokini; ;    the    other. 

no  notice,   whatever,   of  hi^    rival,  in 

hi>  ;•  nid  making  divers  reflection  upon 

him,  when  ah-ent. 

The   third  member    of  the  yreat    council     of 
\t  \s    Surdeland    na^    Ludwit;-    Varlett.    a    wild. 

barem-scaremf  jolly  fellow,  la/v  as  n  Turk,  idle 
i  India  planter,  and  -o  generous,  when 
he  had  money,  that  lie  wa*  often  obliued  to  be 
mean  for  the  want  of  it.  He  held  prudence, 
economy,  n<  :id  the  like,  to  he  words  of 

Indian  oriirin.  and  whenever   any  one  used  them 
in  his  pre-cnce.  would  exclaim,  "Eh!  what  ? — 


KONINGSMARKK. 

•;ni — I  don't  understand  it,  it's  Indian."  Coun 
sellor  Varlett  dealt  liberally,  in  a  great  variety 
of  singular  expletives  and  epithets,  peculiar  to 
himself,  and  which  were  at  every  one's  service. 
But  then  he  would  consign  people  to  the  bitterest 
punishments  in  this  way,  with  such  a  good-hu 
moured  eccentric  vehemence,  that  nobody  ever 
thought  of  giving  him  credit  for  being  in  ear 
nest,  or  taking  ofience  at  his  discourse.  A 
singular  colloquy,  which  hath  been  acci 
dentally/  preserved,  by  a  curious  person  of  our 
acquaintance,  will,  perhaps,  throw  more  light 
on  the  character  of  Counsellor  Varlett's  elo 
quence  than  any  general  outlines  we  could  give. 
The  goblin  Cupid  used  to  do  various  little 
job?  and  errands  for  master  Ludwig,  who  wa 
in  the  habit  of  calling  after  him  with,  "  here,  you 
d — d,  idle,  good-for-nothing  rogue  ;  you've  no 
thing  to  do;  go  catch  my  horse,  yonder — you 
bloody  black  snow  ball."  Cupid,  so  far 
from  taking  this  in  dudgeon,  would  acquiesce 
with  a  mortal  exhibition  of  white  ivory,  knowing 
full  well  the  Counsellor  would  pay  him  liberal 
ly,  whenever  he  got  money.  On  some  one 
of  these  occasions,  Ludwig  had  promised  Cupid 
;i  rix-rlollar  for  doing  a  job,  and,  being  a  little 
tardy  in  the  performance,  that  likely  fellow  called 


104  KOMN«,->IAI: 

'lit1  day  to  duu  him,  when  the  following  dial- 
is  said  to  have  taken  place  :  Ludwig-'s  wife  en 
ters  and  says — 

"  Cupid  wants  you." 

Liudiriif.   li  What  does  the  fellow  want?  curst 
picture,  if  hr  wants  money,  tell  the  rascal  I'll 
ram-  him.'' 

"I!*  'i  owe  him  a  rix-dollar,  for  cut 

ting  wood  la -i  winter." 

l^nln-iff.   "  |   don't  our   him  a  halfpenny,  tin 

infernal  hint?  son  of  a .      Show  him  in  '• 

and  In'-  ha\e  a  look  at  him;   it'<  mighty   likelx 

I'M-  paid  him  already.      ( 'ome  in,  >ir.      Art 

now  ready  to  swear,    and   take  your  bible  oath. 

I    did'nt   pay    x  on  before  .'      Not    a   d — d    -fixer 

-hall  \on  ha\e.  till  you  pro\ e  1  haven't  paid  you 

; \\ice  aln-ady — you  d — d  t-i/'/ard-heel'd. 

iiinn'd.  cushion-anck'd  son — how  much 

'<L   (-milin-j,  he  bt-iii-r  n-cd  to    -u<-li    cpi- 
'    '-i\-dollar,  ma 

••  There,  take  it  and  be  d — d,  and  1 

\\i»h  I  ma\  eo   to   ihf  lo\vermo>t    pit  of — hem  '. 

u'thi-  fellow    i-n't  enough  to  ruin  any  man,    I'll 

tell   you  what,    \ou  infernal  Snow   Ball,    if  you 

re  dimni:  .iin.  I'll  n, 

^.ni    of    brim-tonr.    >tirred    with    a 


KONINGSMAfcKE.  105 

lightning  rod;  I  will,  you  bloody  infernal  cucum- 
ber-shinn'd  rascal." 

But  with  all  this  bad  habit,  Counsellor  Lud- 
\vig  was,  in  the  main,  a  good-natured  man,  who 
took  the  world  as  it  went ;  charitable  to  the  poor, 
whom  he  would  relieve  with  a  hearty  maledic 
tion  ;  one,  in  fact,  who  would  have  deserved 
great  credit  for  his  liberality,  had  it  not  been  too 
often  exercised  at  the  expense  of  his  creditors. 
He  never  looked  beyond  the  present  moment, 
and  was  accustomed  to  anathematize  Counsellor 
Langfanger's  schemes  of  improvement,  which 
were  always  founded  on  distant  views  of  future 
advantage.  The  consequence  was,  that  the 
latter  got  the  reputation  of  a  very  long-headed 
person,  while  honest  Ludwig  was  stigmatized 
-  vs  a  short-sighted  fellow. 

When  Shadrach  Moneypenny  appeared  be 
fore  the  council  of  New  Swedeland,  the  first 
offence  he  gave  was  omitting  either  to  make 
a  bow,  or  pull  off  his  hat,  to  the  great  annoyance 
of  Governor  Piper  ;  who  was  as  great  a  stickler 
for  ceremony  as  the  emperor  of  China,  or  the 
-•  rretary  of  state,  in  a  republic,  where  all  are 
rqual.  The  Heer  fidgeted,  first  one  way,  then 
'another,  made  divers  wry  faces,  and  had  nor 


M;. 

li  been  a  privileged  pei  -on,  on  tin  -<  ore  ol 
i>lt nipotential  functions,  would  ha\e  commit- 
liim  t<>  tl  f  L<»b  Dotterel,  to  be 

'  with  contrary  to  law. 

In  the   mean   time,    Shadrai  h   -tood  bolt    up- 
i.    with   hi.s    hands    crossed  before   him,    hi- 
towards   the   reilinir,  mid  hi-    eye- 
-hut.      At  lenuth  he  snulll«'d  out — 

"  I'riend  Piper,    th(>   -jiirit   nioveth  me  ; 
unto  thee,  1  am  come  from  Coaquanock  to  com 
mune    with  thee    oil    the    Sldiject   of  the    di-pilte- 
'Uir    people     and    thine,    about    certain 
•n  our  patent  and  the  pretend 

lit-   of  I:.' 

'•  l-'riend  Piper — jn'etended  ri»hl-,"    repeated 

ihe   Heer,    miuterin^    indiinwmtly   to     liim-elt'. 

••  Hut  harkye.  .Mr.  Sliadrarh  .Me.-he<  U   and  the 

d — 1,  before  \\r  proceed    to  l)ii-ine--,    \ou    mil-! 

lie  pleaded   to  understand,    that    no   man  com- •- 

the   pr-  the  repaesentativc  of  tlu 

:he  Htilwark  of  the    Protestant 

\\iihont  ptdlinir  off  hi.-  hat." 

u Friend  Piper,"    replied    Slim!,  iidiiiL' 

ill   preii-el\    the    po-ili.iii    \\c    have    de-criiied — 

:  iend  Piper,  -near  not   at  all.      Verily.  I  do 

pull  ofi"  my  hat  to  much  le.--  to  the 

i 'nut  calleth 


K6NINGSMARKE.  10? 

great  Gustavus,  whom  I  conceive  a  wicked  man 
of  blood,  one  who  propagateth  religion  with  the 
-word  of  man  instead  of  the  word  of  Jehovah." 

"  Verflucht  und  vcrdamt  /"  exclaimed  thr 
Heer,  in  mortal  dudgeon  ;  "  the  great  Gustavus, 
the  Bulwark  of  the  Protestant  Faith,  a  man  of 
blood !  Der  teufcl  hole  dich !  1  swear,  you 
shall  put  off  your  hat,  or  depart,  without  holding 
•  'onference  with  us,  with  a  flea  in  thine  ear." 

"Swear not  at  all,"  replied  Shadrach,  "friend 
Piper.  Again  I  say  to  thee,  I  will  not  pull  oil* 
my  hat ;  and,  if  necessary,  I  will  depart  with  a 
ilea  in  mine  ear,  as  thou  art  pleased  to  expn •--. 
thyself,  rather  than  give  up  the  tenets  of  <nn 
faith." 

"  Du  galgen  schivenkel,"  quoth  the  Heer  ; 
•'  does  thy  religion  consist  in  thy  hat,  that  thou 
refusest  to  put  it  off?  But  whether  it  does  or 
not,  1  swear — 

"  Swear  not  at  all,"  cried  the  self-poiged  Sha 
drach. 

"  'Sblood  !  but  I  will  swear,  and  so  shall  Lucl- 
uiu  Varlett,"  cried  the  Heer;  whereupon  Lud- 
\\iir  hoisted  the  gates  of  his  eloquence,  and 
poured  forth  such  a  torrent  of  expletive*,  that, 
had  not  Shadrach  been  immoveable  as  hi- 
hat,  he  had  been  utterly  demolished.  That  in 


vincible  civil  warrior,  however,  neither  opened 
!ii-  eyes  nor  altered  \\\<  position,  durinir  nil  thr 
hot  Are  of  Counsellor  Varlett,  hm  remained  mo 
tion!  pt  the  t\\irlin^  of  his  thumh*. 

"  Friend  Piper,  is  it  thy  pleasure  to  hear  \vhai 
I  hav.  Tin-  spirit  moveth  me" — 

"The  spirit  may  move  thee  to  the  d — 1,"  cried 
IVter,  ''or  the  tlesli  shall  doit,  if  you  don't 
pull  (»li"  your  hat,  du  ans  dem  landgcjtvtt  r  /v/7." 
"\'eri!y,  1  niider.-tand  not  thy  jartron,  friend 
I'eter,"  rejoined  Shadraeh  ;  "  neiiher  will  I 
to  him  thon  of,  at  thine  or  any  other 

1*8  liidduiu.      \\'ilt  tliou  hear  the  proposals  ol' 
illiam  IVnn,  or  wilt  thon  not  ?" 

I     eat    of  the 

another  wonl  Iroin  that  nuly  month  of 
dune,  till  \ou  pull  oil'  \ourhai,"  exclaimed  the 
eholerir  Ifeer.  starting  from  his  seat. 

"Thou  mayst  eat  what  thou  plea>t>t,  friend 
I'iper,''  rejoined  tin-  other  ;  •'  and  for  m\  u 
.nouth,  -inee  it  ofiend>  thee.  I  \\ill  depart  to 
\\heni  .  I  eame."  So  >a\iii(_r.  In-  leisurely  turned 
himself  round,  and  was  proceeding  on  his  \\a\. 
i the  Heer  Piper,  to  whosd  choler  the  di\\ 
eloquent  idrach  added  fresh  fuel,  eriod 

out,  '  in  a  voice  of  thunder. 

machinery  of  Shadraeh,  which  had 


KONINGSMARKL.  10U 

put  in  motion  for  his  departure,  stopped,  accor- 
<lingly,  and  he  remained,  standing-  in  most  rigid 
perpendicularity,  with  his  back  to  the  Heer,  and 
his  head  turned  over  his  shoulder,  so  as  to  meei 
his  eye. 

"I  am  stopped,  friend  Piper,"  quoth  he. 

The  Heer  Piper,  hereupon,  directed  Lob 
Dotterel,  who  was  in  attendance,  as  part  of  the* 
puissance  of  the  Governor  of  Elsingburgh, 
forthwith  to  procure  him  a  hammer  and  a  ten- 
penny  nail,  an  order  which  that  excellent  and 
attentive  officer  obeyed  with  his  usual,  alacrity. 

"Art  thou  going  to  build  thee  an  house,  friend 
Piper,  that  thou  callest  for  nails  and  hammc 
asked  Shadrach. 

"  You  shall  see  presently,"  answered  the  Heer. 
••  Since  your  religion  consists  in  wearing  your 
hat,  I  shall  take  care,  you  stick  fast  to  the  faith, 
by  nailing  your  hat  to  your  head,  with  this  ten- 
penny  nail. 

"  Thou  mayst  do  as  thou  pleasest,  friend  Pi 
per,"  replied  Shadrach,  unmoved  by  the  tin 
%  We  have  endured  \\orsr  th;ui  thi>,  in  the  old 
world,  and  aiv  n-ady  for  -ufleraiicc-  in  the  new. 
Kvrn  now,  in  yon  Iv^u-rn  *fttlcm«'nt>,  our 
brethren  are  expelled  from  the  poor  refuses  tlies 
have  sought,  and  chavd.  UK-  tin 


I  ll'l 

haunt*  ttf  the  new-settled  pi"  thrir  blood 

.•blood   of  wolves  tlifir  hand-   the    cla\\ - 
of  tiiMTv,  and  their  tret  the  feet   of  the  murder 
er.      Our  f;iith  trrcw  up  in  <trip<  -.  imprisonment, 
rind  >uflerinirs,  and  behold,  1  nin  readx  ;  sinito — 
am   road\ .      Tin  ^  ho   hath  no  (Jod,  en 

dure^  the  tortures  of  tire,  without  -hriuKiiii:.  and 
-litdl  not    I    d;ire  to  sutler,   whom    he    sn-t;ii 
Smite — J  am  read\ ." 

The-   Heer   \va>   now  in  tin1   predicament,  of 

'•erlain    pa  — ionate   projile,    \\hothreaten,    \\hat. 

ilie  point,  they  -hrink  from    in- 

tlictiiiL:.       !>e-ides   that  the  law  of  nation-;  made 

the  of    cn\e  Didd   not 

hrii;  If   to    commit    \iolence    upon    one, 

\\hoM-  prijx'ijile-    of  non-r  .   in- 

bU-.      I?y  way  of  co?iiiuu  off.  therefore,  with 

a  good  grace,  he  and  Lndwii:  Varlctt,  fell  into  a 

iuted  Shadrach  M> 

\vith   a  fluet  of  e\[ileii\e-.   which    that   wor 
thy     pleliipui  More.    I'or    -cine  time,  with 

ical  indii;'. 

•    \rt     thou  iend  l^iper."    exei 

ln\    t;dvi  of  tin-  i 


KONINGSMARKE.  1  i  j 

"Begone,  and  der  teufel  hole  dick,  and  das 
tonnerwetter  schlage  dich  kreutzeveis  in  (Jen 
boden"  cried  the  Heer. 

"  I  go,  verily ;"  and  the  good  Shadrach 
inarched  leisurely  out  of  the  council  chamber, 
with  his  hands  crossed  over  his  breast,  his  eyes 
turned  upwards,  neither  looking  to  the  right  nor 
10  the  left.  Coming  to  the  place  where  he  had 
left  his  horse,  he  untied  him  from  the  branch  of 
an  apple-tree,  mounted  by  the  aid  of  ei 
friendly  rock,  and  seated  himself  in  the  saddle  ; 
whereupon,  he  smote  him  in  the  side  with  his 
unarmed  heel,  and  the  horse,  taking  the  hint, 
trotted  ofl'  for  the  territory  of  Coaquanock. 

Thus  was  the  negotiation  between  the  powers 
of  Elsingburgh  and  Coaquanock,  wrecked  on  a 
point  of  etiquette,  like  that  between  England 
and  China,  which  happened  in  later  times.  The 
obstinacy  of  Shadrach,  in  not  pulling  off  his  hat 
to  the  Heer,  and  that  of  my  Lord  Amherst,  in 
refusing  to  prostrate  himself  ever  so  many  tinns 
before  the  elder  brother  of  the  moon,  were  both, 
in  all  probability,  followed  by  consequences 
that  affected  millions  of  human  beings,  or  will 
affect  them  at  some  future  period.  This  pn>vi> 
the  vast  importance  of  etiquette,  and  we  hope 
our  worthy  statesmen  at  the  capital  will  perse- 


KONINGSMAB 

\orc  in  their  praiseworthy  attempt.-,  to  mak- 
•  ertain  people,  \\lio  don't  know  the  important 
•I'thcst'  nuittrr>.  scnsiljlc  ofthr  aloolutc  IH-COMIX 
of  pn-codt'iirr  hrini:  r'.^idl\  oliM-r\i'd.  in  u 
into  dinint:  ruunj^.  and  <iitiiiLr  du\vn  to 


CHAPTER  VI. 


What !  shall  not  people  pay  for  being  governM 

I A  not  the  secret  of  the  politic 

To  pigeon  cits,  and  make  the  rogues  believe 

"Tis  for  the  public  good  ?     By'r  Lady,  sirs, 

There  shall  not  be  a  flea  in  an  old  rug, 

Or  bug  in  the  most  impenetrable  hole 

Of  the  bedstead,  but  shall  pay 

For  the  privilege  of  sucking  Christian  blood. 

The  Alderman  ;  or,  Beggars  on  Horseback-, 


WOLFGANG   LANGFANGER,    the    long-headed 
member  of  the  council  of  Elsingburgh,  having, 
a-  we  stated  before,  brought  his  private   affairs 
into  great  confusion,  by  devoting  too  much   of 
iiis  time  to  the  pub'licgbod,began,ayear  or  two  be 
fore  our  history  commences,  to  think  it  high  time 
the  public  good  should  repay  some  part  of  its 
weighty  obligations.     He  had  accordingly  in 
vented,   and  persuaded  the  Hecr  Piper  to  put 
ito  practice,  a  system  of  internal  improvement, 
khich    has   been  imitated,  from  time  to   time, 
in  this  country,  ever  since,  with  great  success. 
The  essence  of  his  plan  consisted  in  rtmnintr  in 
VOL.  i.  10 


1  I  -I  KOMNftSMARKE. 

debt  tor  the  present,  and  living1  afterwards  upon 
the  anticipation  of  future  wealth. 

It  happened,   about  the  time  we  refer  to,  that 

liooner  arrived  from  some  part  of  Ne\\-l 
hind,  with  a  cargo  of  odd  notions,  commanded 
h\  a  certain  adventurer,  who  designated  himself 
08    follows,  to  wit  :  — 

"  Captain  John  Turner, 

'or  nnil  i>uner 
(If  this  cargo  and  ichooner." 


Tin  .iiufanu-er   hailed   thi»  e\«-nt  a.-  fur- 

nishinir  unquestionable  augury  that  the  town  of 
KUinirburgh  was  destined  to  moiiopoli/.e  the 
commerce  of  all  the  dominions  of  his  Swedi-li 
Maje-H  in  the  new  world,  provider!  proper  mea- 
Mirt-s  were  taken  to  improve  it-  natural  ad\an- 

3.      He  a  it  wharf. 

for  tin-   accoiiui.         v.,,,,    ,„    lMi,  iv    or  fort\    1. 
^hips.    \\ith    -tore.-,    for  _'Hi<U.   ai..l  r\er\   matte)- 
re(jui-itr  for  carrvinu1  on  ;i  ureat  trade. 

.'i-ovided   for  the  external  commerce 
Imrtrh,  Lan^rfanirer  next  turned  hi-  at 
tention  to  its  internal  trade,  which  ron>isted. 

in  the  curtroe'-.  of  a  feu  }>ark  canot^,  in 
which  the  Indians  brought  down  muskrat  and 
hear  -kin<,  to  barter  for  aqua  rita.  In  order 


KONINGSMARKE.  1  J  i> 

to  accommodate  these,  he  planned  a  canal,  to 
connect  the  Brandywine  with  the  Delaware,  by 
a  cut,  that  would  shorten  the  distance  at 
least  six  miles.  By  this  he  boasted  that  the 
whole  trade  of  the  interior  would  centre  at  El- 
singburgh,  to  the  complete  abandonment  and 
destruction  of  Coaquanock,  which  must  neces 
sarily  dwindle  into  utter  insignificance.  The 
Heer  was  excessively  tickled  with  the  idea  of 
being  so  effectually  revenged  upon  Shadrach 
Moneypenny,  and  the  rest  of  his  old  enemies, 
the  Quakers. 

His  next  project  was  that  of  beautifying  the 
town,  which,  it  must  be  confessed,  was  rather  a 
rigmarole  sort  of  place,  built  at  random,  the 
streets  somewhat  crooked,  and  the  houses  occa 
sionally  protruding  themselves  before  their 
neighbours,  in  somewhat  of  an  unmannerly 
manner.  Langfanger  proposed  to  revise  tin- 
whole  plan,  widen  many  of  the  principal  streets. 
lay  out  several  others  upon  a  magnificent  scale, 
and  pull  down  the  houses  that  interfered  with 
the  improvement  of  the  city,  as  he  soon  began 
to  call  the  great  town  of  Elsingburgh.  Thf- 
Heer  was  rather  startled  at  this  project,  consi 
dering  the  expense  of  purchasing  the  houses  to 
be  pulled  down,  and  the  probable  opposition  of 


110  KOMNf.-MAI 

(he   good    people    who    inhabited    them.      But 
Langfknger  wa-  never  at  a  loss  on  tin 
dons. 

lit-   went    forth  among  the    villagers,   with   n 
-triii  uments,  deductions,  calculations,  and 

•mtieipation-,  enough  to  pu/./le,  ii'  not  convim  <  . 

much  wiser   heads  than  those  which  urew   on  the 

^honlders  of  the  simple  inhabitants.      Admitting 

•  >nly  that  his  premises  were  true,  and  that  what 

ho  predicted   would  certainly  come  to  pass,    and 

there  \\;i~  mi  (ien\  ini:  hi.i  conclusions.      Accord- 

v,  I  he  £0od  people    liec.une  a-sured  Unit  the 

pullinL:  down    their  IIOUM  -,  and  cuttinii  tip  their 

.ind  fields  into  broad  streets  ami  avenue-. 

would,  in  no  little  time,  make  every  soul  ol'tliem 

.'.'.      It  was  curious  to  see  the  apple 

cut   down,  the   urass  cut  up,    and   the    lot- 

•  •d  into  ih«'  most  whimsical  shapes,  1>\   Wolf- 

Lraii'j-'<  improvements, 

The     beautiful     ^rass-plot-     t:a\e     place     to 

dii-ty  or  mudd\    a\enu«-s,   branchini;-  oil'   in   all 

direction-,  and  leading  no  \\here.  insomuch,  that 

•  ould   hardly  find  their  way  any    where. 

Houses,  that  had  hitherto  fronted  the  -in  et,  now 

\    with    their    backs    to    it,   or   presented   a 

>harp  corner ;   and  the    whole  world   wastuimi! 

l«'p»y-turvy  at  J-'lsinulmrah.      Hut  the 


KONINGSHARKE.  Ill 

Counsellor  Langfanger  appeared  to  the  greatest 
advantage  in  respect  to  certain  obstinate  persons, 
who  did  not  choose  to  have  their  houses  pulled 
flown  over  their  heads,  without  being  well  paid 
for  it.  Wolfgang  settled  matters  with  these,  by 
causing  the  houses  to  be  valued  at  so  much,  and 
the  improvement  of  the  property,  in  consequence 
of  pulling  them  down,  as  equivalent  to  the  loss 
of  the  houses.  These  unreasonable  persons 
were,  by  this  equitable  arrangement,  turned  out 
of  doors,  and  left  to  live  very  comfortably  upon 
the  anticipation  of  a  great  rise  in  the  value  of 
their  estates. 

Under  the  magnificent  system  of  Counsellor 
Wolfgang,  the  village  of  Elsingburgh  grew  and 
flourished,  by  anticipation,  beyond  all  former 
example ;  although,  since  that  time,  man^ 
-imilar  wonders  have  been  exhibited  to  the  world. 
But  there  are  always  drawbacks  upon  human 
prosperity — an  inside,  and  an  outside,  to  every 
thing.  The  mischief  was,  that  these  great 
improvements  cost  a  great  deal  of  money,  and 
there  was  very  little  of  it  to  be  had  at  El- 
burgh.  Improvements  brought  debts,  and 
debts  are  as  naturally  followed  b\  t;i\c--,  as  y 
cow  is  by  her  tail.  It  became  necc-sv.iry,  at 
least,  to  provide  for  the  payment  of  the  interest 
10* 


upon  thedebt  contracted,  in  consequence  of tho-c 

4n\;duable   improvements,  in  order  to  keep  up 

the  public  credit,  and    enable  (  'oun>el]or  1/auu- 

•T  to  carry  on  hi-  M  henie-,  ;uid  impnne  llir 

town,  by  rimninir  up  :x  still  hea\ ier  -core.      And 

here  we  will   take   occasion   to  remark   upon    a 

lity,  which   distinuui-hes    tho  man 

\\hola\-  out  hi->  ouu.  Iroui   him   who    disburse- 

the  jiublic    iuone\.      How   carel'ul  is  lie,    in   tho 

.   to   make   the    1110*1  of  it,  to    turn 

tiny  to  \\\-  advantage,  and  to  weiu'li   the 

probable    u-ain^    in  eiiij)lo\inu  it,  before  he  part- 

with  a  dollar!     \'  -utrarx.  when 

he  hath  <•  ))t  of  the  public  funds,  it  i- 

ui.-hin^  how   liberal   lie   becomes;  how  hi- 

nl  upon  what  questionable 

he   \\ill   expend    millions,   that  do    not 

>o   him.      rl'h'  >ilier   peculiarity, 

which  t M  r  accompanies  the  in  :it  of  tin 

public  wealth,    uhich  is.    that  lit  a  man   be   ever 

•  one.-t    IM  fore  hand,    or    ever    -o    de.-iro 
exhibit  to  the  world  a   pure  example    ofdi-inter- 
ne  of  this  money  \vill   stick  to    hi- 
i  -pile  of  hi-  te<  th,    and  brini_r   hi-    inte- 
V  into  (jue.-tion.     This  is  doubtless  the  reason 
why  men  are  -o  unwilling  to  undertake  these  mat- 
tor-,  and   that  only  the  wavmc-t  patriotism  will 


KONINCSMARKE-.  i  19 

induce  them  to  have  any  thing  to  do  with  the 
public  mony. 

But,  to  return  to  our  history.  The  worthy 
Counsellor  Langfanger,  by  direction  of  Gover 
nor  Piper,  forthwith  set  about  devising  the  ways 
and  means  to  keep  up  public  credit,  and  go  on 
with  the  public  improvements.  Political  econo 
my,  or  the  art  of  picking  the  pockets  of  a  com 
munity,  was  not  much  understood  at  this  time  ; 
but  genius  supplies  the  want  of  precep  and  ex 
ample.  Counsellor  Langfanger  devised,  and 
the  Heer  Piper  adopted  and  enforced,  a  system 
of  taxation,  more  just  and  equally  proportion 
ed  than  any  ever  before  known.  Nobody  was 
to  lie  taxed  above  one  per  cent,  on  his  property; 
but  then,  the  Heer  reserved  to  himself  to  value 
the  said  property  agreeably  to  his  discretion. 
Accordingly,  to  make  his  revenues  meet  his  im 
provements,  he  was  obliged  to  rate  things  at  a 
sort  of  imaginary  prospective  value,  at  least 
three  times  greater  than  any  body  would  give  for 
them.  The  good  people  of  Elsingburgh  were 
highly  astonished  at  finding  themselves  MI  rich., 
and  paid  their  taxes  cheerfully,  until  the  perpe 
tual  drain  upon  their  pockets,  to  pay  for  Coun 
sellor  Langfanger's  improvements,  made  it  con- 
\enient  to  sell  some  part  of  their  property,  when 
they  were  utterly  confounded  to  find  themselves 


h.U.MN(,>MAKK.i.. 

rich   only  according  to   the   Heer   Piper'-  ta.x 
list. 

Hut  agreeably  to  the  homely  old  ravine,  "  In 
tor  a  penny,  in  for  a  pound."  Wolfgang  assured 
them  that  if  they  stopt  short  in  their  improvement- 
Id-fore  they  had  got  half  through,  all  the  money 
hitherto  expended  would  be  utterly  lost ;  but  if 
they  only  persevered  to  the  end,  they  could  not 
possibly  fail  of  reaping  a  glorious  harvest.  The 
irood  folks  scratched  their  heads,  and  paid  their 
In  the  mean  time,  the  Heer  and  his 
Counsellor  every  day  discovered  sonie  new  ar 
ticle  to  tax,  until  at  length  it  came  to  pass,  that 

v  thinu  necessary  to  the  existence  of  the 
people  of  Elsingburgh,  every  thing  that  belong 
ed  to  them,  to  the  very  heads  on  their  shoul- 

.  and  the  coats  on  their  backs,  was  loaded 
\\ith  impost*,  to  contribute  to  the  great  end  of 
public  improvement.  It  will  be  only  anticipa 
ting  the  course  of  events  a  few  year.-,  to  sa\. 
that  many  of  these  projects  of  Counsellor  Lang- 

er  never  realized  the  advantages  heprediot- 
•  (I.  and  of  others  that  did,  the  profits  were  ne 
ver  repped  by  those  who  paid  for  them,  since  -,\ 

t  portion  of  these  were,  in  process  of  time, 
compelled  to  sell  their  property  by  piecemeal, 
to  meet  the  perpetual  exactions  of  the  Heer  Pi 
per  and  hi<  long-headed  Counsellor. 


BOOK  THIRD. 


BOOK  THIRD 


CHAPTER  I. 

It'  we  examine,  aided  by  the  light  of  historv . 
the  course  of  human  events,  we  shall  find  that 
every  thing  moves  in  a  perpetual  circle.  The 
world  turns  round,  and  all  things  with  it.  Eve 
ry  tiling  new  is  only  the  revival  of  something 
forgotten ;  and  what  are  called  improvements, 
discoveries,  or  inventions,  are,  for  the  most  part, 
little  else  than  matters  that  have  again  come 
uppermost,  by  the  eternal  revolutions  of  the 
wheel  of  fate.  Mutability  maybe  said  to  con- 
•Jtitute  the  harmony  of  the  universe,  whose  va>i 
mid  apparent  changes  and  varieties  are  produ 
ced,  like  those  of  music,  by  the  same  notes  dif 
ferently  arranged. 

"It  is  an  ill  wind  that  blows  nobody  good," 
-.ays  the  old  proverb,  and  accordingly  we  find, 
i hat  causes  which  produce  the  misery  <if  our 


KONINGSMARKE. 

being,  bring  about  the  happiness  of  another. 
The  tear  of  one  eye  is  balanced  by  the  smile  of 
another  cheek ;  the  agony  of  one  heart,  by  tin 
transports  of  another,  originating  in  the  same 
-ource.  So,  to  extend  our  principle  from  indi- 
\iduals  to  nations,  the  misfortunes  of  one  con 
tribute  to  the  prosperity  of  others;  ami.  a-  the 
circle  ofe\em<  is  completed,  these  very  nation- 
will  be  found  to  change  their  relations  with  each 
other,  the  happy  one  being  wretched,  the  infe 
rable  one  happy,  in  it^  turn.  It  i-  thus.  too. 
vuth  the -uccredin-  ueneration-  of  man.  The 
-truggles,  violence,  and  crimes  of  a  revolution 
in  one  age,  brinir  about  a  salutary  reform  of 
abuses,  of  which  many  generation-  reap  the 
i!~  in  future  time.-:  and  thn-  -hould  e\ - 
cry  >u florin L:-  mortal,  solace  him-elf  \\ith  tin 
comfortable  a--urance,  that  be  is  nothing  more 
than  a  martyr  to  the  happine--  of  some  unknown 
beinii,  who,  in  the  coiir-eof e\ent>.  will  reap  the 
harve-t  in  joy,  of  what  hath  been  -own  in  tears. 

The  origin  of  moral  evil,  which  is  a  problem 
that  b,i-  pu//.le.l  wi-er  heads  than  ours,  i<  ea-il\ 
and  -imply  reconciled  to  the  seeming  contradic 
tions  it  invohe-.  by  means  of  this  theory,  which 
will  equally  apply  to  man.  and  to  all  animated  na 
ture.  The  sufferings  of  virtuous  men,  and  the 


KONINGSMARKE.  125 

apparent  prosperity  of  the  wicked,  furnish,  per 
haps,  the  strongest  internal  support  to  that  uni 
versal  belief  in  a  future  state,  which  is  cherished, 
with  some  little  varieties,  all  over  the  world. 
Thus,  a  principle  essential  to  our  faith,  and,  of 
course,  a  source  of  infinite  happiness,  both  here 
and  hereafter,  a  great  good  in  fact,  owes  its  ori 
gin  in  some  measure  to  the  existence  of  what 
might,  otherwise,  be  considered  a  great  evil. 
Those,  therefore,  who  take  advantage  of  this 
Deeming  disparity  to  impeach  the  justice,  and 
sometimes  the  very  existence,  of  a  superintend 
ing  providence,  look  at  but  one  side,  of  the 
question,  and  decide  from  partial  views.  But 
perhaps  the  reader  may  be  'superficial  enough 
not  to  perceive  the  connexion  between  these  specu 
lations,  and  the  position  with  which  we  set  out : 
we  will  therefore  leave  this  matter  for  the  pre 
sent. 

That  all  things  move  in  a  circle  is,  however, 
particularly  demonstrated  in  affairs  of  less  con 
sequence,  which  revolve  perpetually  before  our 
eyes.  It  is  denominated,  by  philosophers,  action 
and  re-action  ;  but  it  is  only  the  revolutions  of 
the  wheel  of  mutability.  For  instance,  it  has 
been  supposed,  that  bigotry  and  intolerance  were 
synonymous  with  ignorance  and  hypocrisy : 


VOL.  i.  11 


i*   . 


IJO  KoMM.s  \rAHKV. 

M'l  \\e  BCC  the    nio-t  virtuous   and 

monarch-.  a^  \\ell  a-  tin-  inos-t  learned  and  pion- 
preacher-.  -paring  no  paiu>  to  bring  the  world 
hack  to  a  belief  in  doirma-and  mbtUties,  supposed 
to  In-  peculiar  to  a-v-  of  barbarism  and  super 
stition.  No  one  doubts  that  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tur\  i>  tin-  mo.-t  niliphtciicd  a  ire  the  world  CUT 
-av\  .  Yd  do  we  find  the  world.  unlr--  we  mistake,  i- 
in  an  at  danger  of  being  brought,  by  a  morr 
adrojt  appeal  to  it-.  f'ear>,  or  it  may  be  to  it-  n  a- 
-011,  to  -ubmit  inij)liritly  to  old  abuses  under  ;i 
ne\\  name,  with  as  much  docility  as  in  the  tenth 
eentnry.  For  instance,  the  Inquisition,  beinu 
abolislied  in  Spain,  has  revived  in  Kndand  un 
der  a  new  name.  The  "  IJridtre-.-treet 


as  they  are  denominated,  is  nothin^more  than  an 
inquisition  into  mi  n'>  con-riei.n  -  ;  ;uid  though 
it  cannot  put  the  victim-  to  the  torture  of  the 
rack  or  the  boot,  ran  put  them  to  that  of  the 
Kimli-h  la\\.  and  an  Kngli>h  prison,  \\hieh.  in  the 
opinion  of  tho>e  who  have  had  experience  in 
these  deliuht-.  are  no  pitiful  Mib>titnte>  for  the 
discipline  of  a  S|.ai)i-h  lii(|uisition.  When  a  -»- 
»'iet\  like  that  of  Bridge-street  i-  -auctioned  b\ 
vdiirt-  of  jii-tice.  in  an  interferenee  with,  and  a 
ptini>lnnent  of  a  man's  opinion-  in  matter-  of 
faith,  it  i-  of  little  con-eqneiice  wheilier  A  on  eall 


KONINGSMARKK.  127 

it  an  Inquisition,  or  a  society  for  the  suppression 
of  vice  and  the  punishment  of  blasphemy.  The 
Inquisitors  of  Spain  punished  the  Protestants 
with  the  rack,  the  Inquisitors  of  London  punish 
those  who  difler  with  them  in  opinion,  with  fine 
and  imprisonment.  Whatever  body  of  men  in 
terferes  with  men's  consciences,  in  this  or  that 
manner,  is  an  Inquisition  to  all  intents  and  pur 
poses. 

Beyond  doubt,  many  people  who  have  not 
paid  proper  attention  to  the  absolute  monotony 
which  characterizes  the  course  of  events  in  all 
ages  of  the  world,  and  which  is  produced  by  the 
revolutions  of  our  wheel,  are  of  opinion  that 
those  refinements  in  police,  those  schemes  for 
public  improvement,  and  that  noble  system  of 
political  economy  by  which  nations  and  com 
munities  are  enabled  to  get  over  head  and  ears 
in  debt,  are  the  productions  of  the  present  age. 
But  whoever  compares  the  system  of  the  Heer  Pi 
per,  and  his  long-headed  Counsellor  Wolfgang 
Langfanger,  with  that  commonly  in  operation  at 
this  time  in  our  cities  and  states,  will  at  once  per- 
< cive  it  is  nothing  more  than  the  same  thing 
brought  up  again  in  the  revolutions  of  the  great 
wheel,  theprimum  mobile  of  hitman  events.  In  de- 
failing  the  various  plans  of  Governor  Piper,  to 


KONIMiSMARKK. 

make  all  I  ho  little  bad  boys  good  by  means  of 
teaching  them  their  A,  B.  C  ;  in  his  attempts  to 
banish  vice  and  poverty  from  Elsingburgh,  by  an 
ingenious  mode  of  encouraging  idleness  ;  and  in 
various  other  philanthropic  schemes,  which  \\» 
<hall  from  time  to  time  develop,  it  will  ap- 
to  demonstration,  that  he  anticipated  the 
present  age  by  at  least  a  century  and  a  half. 
Tin  evolutions  of  our  wheel  demonstrated  their 
iinitility  in  a  few  years  ;  but  the  lessons  of  ex 
perience  are  ever  forgotten  when  their  effects 
•  to  be  felt,  and  another  turn  of  the  world 
brought  these  schemes  uppermost  again ;  whewc 
they  will  again  fall,  after  having  given  their  im 
pulse  to  the  wheel,  as  the  water  falls  out  of  tin 
hiu-kt-K  runs  away  to  put  some  other  power 
in  motion,  or  is  exhaled  in  clouds,  whence  it 
Tall-  in  (U-w-  and  showers,  and  once  more  repl»  - 
ui-lies  tin-  brook  that  turns  the  wheel. 


CHAPTER  II. 


It  was  reveal'd  to  Master  SCRUPLE  STRONG, 
The  pestilence  last  year  did  take  its  rise, 
Not  from  foul  air,  but  foul  iniquities  ; 
From  wicked  laughter  in  the  public  streets  ; 
From  teaching  sinful  parrots  to  swear  oaths, 
E'en  on  the  Sabbath  day,  when  church  was  in  ; 
From  wicked  children  spending  all  their  pence 
fn  luxuries  of  cakes  and  gingerbread  ; 
But  above  all,  from  making  sinful  men, 
That  scorn'd  fat  bacon  and  Virginia  hams, 
Sheriffs,  and  such  like  dignitaries. 
These  loud  crying  sins  did  cause  dry  summers, 
Make  the  sickness  rage,  and  people  die  of  fevers. 

Balaam's  Ass ;  or,  the  Leclun  / 
turned  Hectorer. 


THE  Heer  Piper,  as  \ve  have  seen  in  the  pre 
ceding  details,  was  principally  influenced,  in  his 
political  designs,  by  the  advice  of  Counsellor 
Langfanger ;  but  he  intrusted  the  administra 
tion  of  his  ecclesiastical  affairs  to  Domine 
Kanttwell,  director  of  the  consciences  of  the 
good  people  of  Elsingburgh.  The  Domine. 
though  a  follower  of  Martin  Luther,  had  littli 
11* 


!•'•»'  KOMNGSMARKE. 

of  tin-  liberality  of  that  illustrious  reformer,  be 
ing  somewhat  intolerant  in  his  principles,  bi- 
_ioted  in  his  doctrines,  sour  in  his  humour,  and 
!'»>t  hitter  enemy  to  all  sorts  of  innocent 
-port-,  which  he  represented  as  the  devil's  to\-. 
with  which  that  arch-enemy  seduced  people  from 
their  allegiance  to  the  church.  He  held  all  the 
-urplu-  earnings  of  the  poor,  a.-  well  a-  all  lay 
ing  up  for  the  future,  to  be  little  better  than  a 
distrusting  of  Providence  ;  taking  every  oppor 
tunity  to  assure  his  lloek,  that  it  was  their  dut\ 
to  work  hard  all  the  week,  shun  all  sort-  of 
amu-ements  and  indulgences,  and  devote  all 
the\  could  earn  to  the  good  of  the  church,  and 
the  comfort  of  the  parson.  He  pledged  him- 
M-lf.  i!'  they  would  do  tin-,  they  might  be  > 
to  the  wants  of  the  future,  -ince,  in  can 
-ickn-'--.  loss  of  crops,  "i-  any  other  accident.- 
of  life,  some  miraculous  inti-rposition  would  ne- 
\»-r  fail  to  take  place,  by  which  their  want- 
v\ould  be  supplied.  Bean-  and  bacon  would 
rain  down  from  heaven,  partridges  would  ily  in 
at  their  doors  and  windows,  and  all  their  want- 
would  be  administered  to,  a-  a  reward  for  their 

!->-it\  to  the  parson. 

Domine  Kanttwell  wa.-  a  Lrrt  at  dealer  in  judg- 
t-   and    miracle-;.     The   direct  iuterpo-ition 


KONINGSMARKE.  131 

of  Providence  was  always  visible  to  him,  in 
every  little  accident  that  happened  in  the  vil 
lage;  and  while  he  preached  that  this  world 
was  a  mere  state  of  probation,  a  furnace  where 
Ljood  men  were  tried  by  fire,  and  subjected  to 
every  species  of  suffering,  he  took  every  other 
opportunity  of  contradicting  this  doctrine,  by 
converting  every  little  good  or  ill  accident  that 
happened  to  his  flock  into  a  judgment  or  a  mi 
racle — a  reward  for  going  to  church,  and  ho 
nouring  the  parson,  or  a  punishment  for  neglect 
ing  both.  On  one  occasion,  the  only  child  of 
.1  poor  widow  happened  to  be  drowned  in  pad 
dling  a  boat  on  the  river,  on  the  Sabbath  morn 
ing.  The  Domine  immediately  visited  the  af 
flicted  parent,  and  comforted  her  with  the  as 
surance  of  its  being  a  judgment  upon  her  for 
not  sending  the  boy  to  church.  In  the  after 
noon  he  thundered  forth  from  the  pulpit,  and 
contrasted  this  unhappy  catastrophe,  or  signal 
judgment  of  Providence,  with  the  miracle  of 
the  poor  man,  who,  notwithstanding  he  was 
over  head  and  ears  in  debt,  with  a  family  of 
ciuht  young  children,  had  bestowed  a  part  of 
his  earnings  upon  a  fund  for  converting  the  In 
dians,  and  was  rewarded  by  a  miraculous  shot, 
l>\  which  he  killed  a  fat  buck,  a  thinar  he  had 


I-'}-  KONIM,~M\KKK. 

never  done  before  in  ;ill  his  life.  What  was  ve 
ry  singular,  however,  and  would  have  excited 
-nine  little  suspicion,  in  any  other  case  but  that 
of  the  Domine,  he  never  tr:ive  any  tiling  awa\ 
himself,  or  tru.-ted  to  any  of  these  miracles  in 
his  own  particular  case,  it  beinir  a  maxim  of  his. 
ihat  to  cau>e  other-  to  bestow  their  alms  for 
an\  object,  was  equivalent  to  giving  them  him- 
~c>lf.  In  short,  he  held  the  consoling  and  com 
fortable  doctrine,  that  he  was  perfectly  justified 
in  indulging  himself  with  the  good  things  of 
this  life,  provided  he  could  only  persuade  thr 
poor  of  \\\>  tloek  to  appropriate  a  portion  of 
their  nece>sary  comforts  to  the  great  objects  In 
had  in  view. 

The  principal  of  these  objects  was,  to  put  a 
Mop  to  all  sinful  recreations,  such  a>  dancing, 
iii!_r  wicked  ballad-;  about  love  and  murder, 
indul^inu'  in  the  abominations  of  puppet  shou -, 
readintr  pla\s  poetrx,  and  <ncli  heathen  pro 
ductions,  and,  in  short,  all  those  relaxation* 
with  which  the  cheerful  and  amiable  feeling-  »\ 
our  nature  are  so  immediately  connected.  Hush 
ed  was  the  lanuh,  and  mute  the  spriirhtK  >oui:. 
uhen  Domine  Kanttwell  went  forth  into  the  vil 
lage;  and  nothing  was  heard  but  the  nasal  twanc 
« >f  \  o'u •<.•<  bellowinii  forth  volumes  ofbuming  wrath; 


KONINGSMARKE.  133 

and  eternal  fires,  to  those  who  dared  to  be  happy,  in 
a  moment  of  cessation  from  toil.  These,  toge 
ther  with  certain  tracts,  containing  wonderful 
accounts  of  conversions  of  young  sinners  of  five 
years  old,  denunciations  of  eternal  punishment 
upon  wicked  laughers,  who  dared  to  smile,  even 
while  the  bottomless  pit  was  yawning  to  receive 
them,  together  with  pious  exhortations  to  pay  the 
Domine  well,  and  contribute  to  the  conversion  of 
the  Indians,  were  the  only  relaxations  and  amnse- 
aients  permitted  in  the  village  of  Elsingburgh. 

Aided  by  the  influence  of  the  Heer,  the  elo 
quence  of  aunt  Edith,  and  the  activity  of  Lob 
Dotterel,  the  merry  little  village  of  Elsingburgh 
became  a  dull,  torpid,  dronish  hive,  where  no 
thing  was  thought  of  but  the  bottomless  pit. 
People  neglected  their  labours  to  sing  psalms, 
and  instead  of  paying  their  debts,  gave  their 
money  to  the  Domine,  to  convert  the  Indians, 
trusting  to  a  miracle  for  support  in  case  of  acci 
dent.  Lob  intruded  himself  into  every  house, 
in  search  of  old  ballads,  and  such  like  enormi 
ties,  which  it  was  customary  at  that  time  to  paste 
upon  the  walls ;  and  never  rested,  till  he  had  suc 
ceeded,  either  by  persuasion,  threatSj  or  briberv , 
in  displacing  these  ancient  memorials.  These 
«  <MT  replaced  by  tracts,  such  as  we  have  before 


1.5-1  K.O.MN<,>M  VKK.I;. 

-pecified,  which  were  printed  on  largo  sheet-,  in 
he  pasted  on  the  walls,  in  the  room  of  the  car 
nal  and  wicked  legends  of  hallad  poetry. 

In  a  little  while,  there  wa-  not  one  of  the-e  m 
he  seen,  except  in  the  shop  of  a  heterodox  cobbler, 
whose  \\;ills  were  decked  with  a  numerous  col 
lection  of  old  Swedish  hallads,  snrh  a>  he  had 
heard  in  his  youth  ;  and  which  were  connected- 
and  intertwined  with  all  the  delightful  recollec- 
lions  which  thronu  around  the  thoughts  of  our 
native  home,  when  we  have  left  it  fore\er. 
These  venerable  old  legends  were  his  choicest 
treasures,  and  constituted  the  source  of  his  prin 
cipal  delights.  He  sung  them  while  at  work  in 
his  shop  ;  and  in  the  leisure  of  evenintis  sat  at 
hi-  door,  rhantinir  hi-  ditties  in  an  agreeable 
\oice,  that  never  failed  to  collect  around  him 
a  crowd  of  little  urchins,  and  -onictimes  Deduced 
the  hearer-  from  an  oppo-ite  house,  where  the 
Doinine  and  aunt  Kdith  had  instituted  a  -ocieu 
for  celebrating  the  horrors  of  the  bottonile-- 
pit. 

The-e  -eductions  of  the  old  Itallads  wen- 
highly  re.-cnted.  and  Loh  Dotterel  \\a-  directed 
to  arm  him-elf  with  a  (jiiautity  of  tract-,  reple 
nish  his  paste  pot,  and  attack  the  ballad-,  tooth 
and  nail.  Crispin,  who  had  -ome  idea  thai 


KONINGSMARKE.  135 

nobody  bad  a  right  to  meddle  with  his  ballads, 
resisted  the  high  constable,  at  first,  with  argu 
ment  ;  but  finding  that  Lob  was  proceeding  to 
displace  his  favourite  ditty,  very  discourteously 
seized  him  round  the  waist,  threw  him  out  of 
the  window,  and  emptied  the  paste-pot  upon 
Master  Dotterel's  head.  But  this  outrage  of 
the  wicked  cobbler,  was  speedily  punished,  by  a 
>pecial  judgment,  according  to  the  theory  of 
Domine  Kantttrell ;  who  wisely  employed  hu 
man  means,  however,  to  bring  it  about.  The 
Domine  used  all  his  influence,  as  well  as  that 
of  the  Heer  Piper,  and  aunt  Edith,  to  persuade 
people  their  shoes  would  never  prosper,  if  made, 
or  even  mended,  by  the  wicked,  ballad-singing 
cobbler.  One,  who  persisted,  notwithstanding,  in 
employing  him,  had  a  new  pair  of  shoes,  made 
by  poor  Crispin,  stolen  from  him,  the  very  night 
they  were  brought  home,  by  some  heaven-in 
spired  rogue.  The  influence  of  the  Domine. 
;uid  his  coadjutors,  aided  by  this  judgment,  did 
not  fail  to  bring  another  judgment  on  the  cobbler, 
who  gradually  l<»t  his  custom,  and  with  it,  all 
heart  to  sing  ballads.  The  judgment  \va.- 
completed  in  a  most  sjngular  manner,  by  ilu 
destruction  of  his  shop,  ballads  and  all,  by  a  fire; 
uhirli.  ;i<  nobody  could  tell  how  it  happened- 


136  KON'IN'GSMARKE. 

was  set  down  by  the  Domine,  in  his  next  Sim- 
day's  sermon,  tor  a  special  interposition  of 
providence. 

The  cobbler  departed  from  the  village,  and 
many  years  afterwards,  was  discovered  in  the 
person  of  the  wealthy  Burgomaster,  or  alderman 
Spangler  of  New-York,  who  had  risen  to  wealth 
and  city  honours,  and  loved  old  ballads  as  well 
as  ever.  But  this  did  not  impeach  Domini1 
Kanttwell's  miracle,  or  diminish  the  confidence 
of  the  people  of  the  village,  in  the  aptitude  of 
Providence  to  revenge  any  offence  to  that  worth  \ 
person.  Honest  Spantrler,  however,  died  at  a 
good  old  a  ire,  and  directed  the  following  epitaph 
to  be  graven  on  his  tomb  stone,  in  proof  that  he 
had  preserved  his  respect  for  old  ballads,  to 
the  la-t  : 

•  Here  underneath  this  pair  of  stones, 
llc^t  honest  Wolvert  Spangler's  !• 
\\  h<>,  in  this  city,  prospered  rijjht  well, 
Spite  of  the  d — 1  and  Domine  Kanttwell. 
He  with  his  latest  Christian  breath, 
Bean  testimony  until  d«-ath, 
That  lie  never  knew  since  he  was  bornM. 
An  honest  man  that  ballads  scorn'd." 

Wolvert  was  the  la^t  person  that  maintained 
the   legitimacy   of  old  ballad-  in  the  villatre  of 


Elsingburg.  From  die  time  of  the  signal  judg 
ment  that  followed  his  contumacy,  the  sound  of 
cheerful  gayety,  the  merry  laugh,  and  sprightly 
dance  were  no  more  heard  or  seen  ;  and  even  the 
tinkling  cow-bell,  that  homely  music  whose  simpli- 
rity  so  charmingly  accords  with  rural  scenes  and 
rural  quiet,  was  banished,  because  the  wicked 
cows  disturbed  the  Dominie  by  tinkling  them  on 
Sabbath  day. 

The  Dominie,  and  his  zealous  coadjutor  aunt 
Kdith,  rejoiced  mightily  in  their  work,  and   pre 
dicted  wonderful    effects  from   the  downfall  of 
wicked  ballads,  profane  singing,  and  the  tinkling 
of  the  cow-bells.     But   it    hath  been    shrewdly 
observed,    that  the   corruptions   of  human  na 
ture  are   like  those  of  the    blood,   that    break 
out  into  little  pimples,  which,  though  they  disfi 
gure  the  face  somewhat,  produce  no  fatal  results, 
unless  they   are  forcibly  driven   in,  when   they 
are  apt  to   occasion    the  most  mortal  disc; 
Physicians  should  be  careful  how   they  tamper 
with  the  pimples  ;  and  reformers  should  beware, 
lest,  like  unskilful  tinkers,  in  stopping  one  hole, 
they   open   half  a   dozen    others.     It  was  thus 
with  the  result  of  Dominie  KanUwell's  reforma 
tions. 

The  worthy   folks  of  K!  rr- 

voi,    i.  12 


•'1  \I:K  !.. 

iH-il  ill  tho.-e    little  amusements    and    rec 
which,  as    it  \\cn-.  >anetif\    those  hour>  ol 

OUS    to     mankind  in    iri 

•>:ne  liccn-e   of  this  kind  is  allotted  thru). 

n  to  indulire  in  practice-    more  fatal  to   the 

ivpn-   M|'  -M-iety.  and  the  happiness  of  mankind. 

than  -inn'mi:    or    dancing.      The  pimple*  di>:ij 

!  from  the  Mirface,  hut  the  humour- 

;    \\ithin.     The   deep  and  denial   \ices  ol 

trloom    and   superstition    came    in    the  pi 

v  herrl'iil  ainii-ements  ;   and  it  \\a-oli-erved,  that 

instances    of    overreaching    in    hareain>. 

more  interruptions  in  social  harmony,  and 

68    from    cha-tity.    took    jilace    in   one    \ear. 
than   formerly  occurred   in  live.     The  ignorant 

:!«-d  to  think  they  obtained  a  lirrr.se  for 
lain  \\orldly  oll'mci-s.  by  j)rac:i>in^  the  otitui.ni 
i'orms  of  piety,  and  inv'm-   money  to  the  Doini- 
.   \\hile    the   e\il   di^po^ed     mad-    religion  a 
cloak  for  their  hypoeri-y. 

15ut  thi'-e  \vi-n-not  the  only  con  sequences  of  this 

the  poor  out  of  the  >urp!i 

their  little  rarniiiLrs,  for  pious  purposes,  and  trust- 
BS  in  time  ofneed, backed  l>y  the  pro- 
-•-ri])tion  of  -miles  and  -on..  loflayiii 

.-•thiiii:  for  rainy  <la\s,  and  pro\  .  ,in>t 

lortune  which    occur     -n     Ire- 


KONINGSMARKE.  139 

in  the  tide  of  human  affairs,  they  part- 
<*d  with  these  little  nest-eggs,  trusting  to  the 
assurances  of  Dominie  Kanttwell,  that  if  the 
worst  came  to  the  worst,  they  would  be  fed  like 
the  prophet,  even  by  the  ravens.  But  when 
these  trying  seasons  came,  when  the  mildew 
spoiled  the  harvest,  or  sickness  unnerved  the 
arm  of  the  lusty  tradesman,  it  often  came  to 
pass,  that  the  bitter  effects  of  neglecting  worldly 
means  fell  heavily  upon  them.  The  partridge 
did  not  fly  in  at  the  window,  nor  the  unskilful 
marksman  always  hit  his  deer.  Poverty,  the 
inevitable  consequence  of  relying  er.  HiiraciCS 
for  relief,  at  least  in  these  latter  days,  came  to 
be  the  portion  of  many. 

To  meet  these  visitations,  the  Dominie,  with 
the  aid  of  aunt  Edith,  instituted  a  society  for  the 
relief  of  these  unfortunate  people,  thus  suffering 
for  their  faith  in  miracles.  Those  who  chanced 
to  have  preserved  that  little  surplus,  so  essential 
to  the  welfare  of  the  labouring  classes,  were  in 
duced  to  part  with  all,  or  a  portion  of  it,  and 
thus  to  prepare  themselves  for  becoming  objects 
of  charity  in  turn,  by  placing  their  future  w;nit> 
at  the  mercy  of  the  rubs  and  accidents  of 
life.  Those  who  found  it  more  agreeable  to 
live  without  labour,  at  the  expense  of  others- 


KU-.  M;. 


could    nou     indulge    their   \sisdt-. 
uithout  sufTerin:;    the  consequences  of  idlt  i 

iually  remitted  their  labours,  both  oi'caruiiiL 

and  Tims  recruits  poured  in  on  every 

side;   idlenrs.-    iucrciiM-d  ;    cxtravaeanri-    >pread 

alu-oad  ;  and,  in    no    lone:    period    of  time,   the 

little  industrious      ronnnunity   of   Elsiiiiiluir^h. 

\\here    a   lietruar    had  liitht-rto  never  been    seen. 

,      i  of  paupers.     The  busy  Dominie. 

;her   with    his    zealous    assistant,    then 

about  institutini;  societies  of  other  kinds,  for  tli»- 

relief  of  these  trrowin^  miseries.  But  the  more  so- 

cled<  formed,    the    more    bet^ary    and 

idieni  -s     in.-reased.        Counsellor    Laniifaiiirer 

thi-n    consulted,   as  to   the  best  remedy  fo? 

these   cry  in  IT     evils;   and   accordingly,   ad\ 

.ictv    fur   the    enrouram-ment    of  industn  . 

Hut    this  plan  unluckily  failed,  owinu  to  theex- 

olinary  fact,  ihat   >>o  loiii:  a-  the  other   soci- 

ofh-red     relief   without    workintr,    nobod\ 

applied  fur  employment,    to  the    society  for  en- 

couraging  industry.  So  r;i-\  i>  it  to  make  people 

uor-e.  intr\ini:  to  make  them  better1 


CHAPTER  111. 


There  was  a  madman,  mad  us  a  March  hare  could  lit-. 
And  people  swore  that  no  man  could  madder  be  than  he  ; 
But  the  madman  was  resolved,  even  with  them  to  be, 
*o  he  swore  that  all  the  world  was  mad,  excepting  only  he. 


OUR  youthful  readers  may  perhaps  be  inclined 
to  suspect  that  we  have  forgotten  our  heroine, 
and  lost  sight  of  the  principal  object  of  every 
history  of  this  kind,  which  ought  always  to  be  that 
of  throwing  as  many  obstacles  in  the  way  of  the 
happiness  of  the  lovers  as  possible.  But  the 
suspicion  is  entirely  groundless.  The  fair 
Christina  is  not  an  object  to  be  so  easily  overlook 
ed;  and  though  we  may  occasionally  turn  aside 
from  her  affairs,  to  graver  matters  of  state,  it  is 
only  with  a  view  of  giving  our  lovers  an  oppor 
tunity  of  enjoying,  without  interruption,  those 
innocent,  and  never-to-be-forgotten  delights. 
that  accompany  the  early  dawnings  of  aflec- 
tion  ;  and  to  which  the  aged  always  look  back 
is  the  happiest  period  of  existence. 

The  blue-eyed  maid,  and  the  fair,   tall  youth. 


KOMNG-MVfcKI  . 


i  pretty  much  to  themselves,  daring  the 

progress  of  tin.-  autumnal  season,  the  Governor 
uiul  aunt  I-'diili  being  both,  as  we  have  before 
-tated,  busily  employed,  the  one  in  public  hn- 
pnnements,  the  other  reforming  mankind.  The 
youthful  pair  sung,  and  read,  and  rambled 

'•tlier;   and  every  passing  day    added  to  the 

ngth    of  those    tie-,    which    were   gradually 

uniting    their    hearts    for  ever.      KoningsmarKe. 

although    his    actions   and  looks    expressed  all 

the  feelings  of  a  de\oied  attachment,  never  made 

-  any  explicit  declaration  on  the  subject,  for  both 

:-,ed  Mtli-iiid  with  the  >ueet   coiiM-i.»ii-i;.'^  (.f 

mutual  attachment,      ("hri-tina  had   no  rivals  i't 

the  village,  and  Othman  Pfegel  treate.l  h< -r  with 

••rt  of  pouting  indifVerence.  seldom  intruding 
on  their  lonely  rambles,  or  di>turbing  their 
dome-tic  enjoy  ment-. 

But  ('hri-'-tina  was  far  from  beinur  happy. 
She  could  not  deteixe  IMTX  If  with  the  hope, 
that  her  ailection  uould  be  sanctioned  by  her 
lather's  approbation  ;  and  every  new  ferlini; 
that  ileveaiped  it-«-if  in  the  jiroLrre>s  of  her  affec 
tion  <  ID  convince  her  that  a  time  would 

:ie,  when  a  more  intimate  union  would  be 
necessary  to  IK  r  l.aj-.pitu  -tlcsth'.-. 

<ble  and   vogue   ^i-picions.    which. 


KONINGSMA.RKE.  143 

ever  as  she  chased  them  from  her  mind,  returned 
again  to  haunt  her  lonely  musings,  gave  her 
many  a  heart-ach.  These  suspicions  were 
kept  alive,  by  the  sudden  and  unaccountable 
changes  in  the  expression  of  Koningsmarke's  eye, 
which  occasionally  indicated  a  wild  ferocity,  as 
well  as  by  the  mysterious  warnings  of  the 
Snow  Ball,  who  took  every  opportunity  of 
uttering  most  fearful  oracles,  that  Christina 
could  not  comprehend,  but  which  excited  vague 
apprehensions. 

She  became  gradually  fond  of  solitude,  and 
often  indulged  herself  in  long  and  lonely  walks, 
usually  following  the  course  of  the  little  stream, 
whose  windings  led  to  the  forests,  which  spread 
their  endless  shades  towards  the  west,  the  haunt 
of  Indians  and  their  game. 

These  neighbouring  Indians  were,  for  the 
most  part,  on  friendly  terms  with  the  whites 
at  Elsingburgh ;  but  occasionally,  took  little 
mi  ft*,  and  committed  depredations  on  the  cattle 
and  fields. 

On  the  banks  of  this  stream,  about  a  mile,  or 
perhaps  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  village,  resided 
a  singular  being  ;  a  white  man,  who  came  there 
about  fifteen  years  from  the  period  of  which 
we  are  treating,  and  hail  ever  since  liver! 


144  KO  HK. 

alone  on  that  -pot.  His  dwelling  consisted  of 
.pported  on  one  side  by  an  old  log, 
tin-  ollirr  by  the  earth,  and  covered  over 
with  leaves.  It  wa-  neither  sufficiently  high  to 
allow  him  to  stand  upright,  nor  long  enough  to 
perouthim to  lie  at  full  length.  Repossessed  no 
means  lor  lighting  or  pre>erving  lire,  hut,  in  the 
coldest  weather,  contented  himself  'with  crawling 
into  his  hut,  stopping  the  mouth  of  it  with  leaves, 
and  remaining  there*  till  hunger  drove  him  forth. 
Yet  he  appeared  to  delight  in  this  miserable  mode 
of  existence,  which  no  persuasion  could  induce 
him  to  forsake,  to  join  in  participating  in  the 
labours  and  enjoyments  of  social  life.  He  en 
joyed  perfect  health,  and  never  asked  charity. 
except  when  neither  nuts  nor  apples  could  be 
procured  in  the  woods  and  orchards.  Then  he 
would  appear  in  the  village,  uttering  certain 
unintelligible  sounds,  nhirh  the  people  under 
stood  a-  expn  -H\e  of  his  wants,  and  relie\ed 
him  accordingly.  For  fifteen  years  this  solitary 
hein.tr  had  never  hern  heard  to  -peak  a  single 
word  that  could  he  understood,  either  from  n 
natural  dumbness,  a  derangement  of  mind,  or  a 
ui-h  to  e-rape  ;dl  o,iie»tioiiinu.  a-  to  who  he  \\a-. 
or  \\iience  lie  came,  t\\o  tiling-  that  nobod\  < 

Ing1, 


KONINGSMARKE.  145 

and  when  the  people  got  a  little  used  to  him,  he 
ceased  to  excite  either  curiosity  or  appre 
hension. 

Christina  often  walked  that  way,  without 
thinking  of  the  hermit,  or  fearing  any  outrage  ; 
although  there  had  been  rumours  in  the  village, 
that  he  was  once  or  twice  seen,  about  the  full  of 
the  moon,  in  a  paroxysm  of  raving  insanity. 

One  afternoon  she  stole  away  from  Konings- 
marke,  to  take  a  solitary  walk  along  the  brook- 
side,  and  strolled  as  far  as  the  hut,  which  hap 
pening  to  be  untenanted  at  that  moment,  she 
sat  down  near  lo  it  on  the  bank  of  the  stream. 
It  chanced  that  a  little  popular  song  of  her  own 
country,  which  turns  on  a  breach  of  constancy 
on  the  part  of  a  young  woman,  came  over  her 
mind,  and  she  was  singing  it  to  herself,  when  a 
wild  and  horrible  laugh  alarmed  her  fears.  She 
>tarted  up,  and  looking  round,  beheld  the  Her 
mit,  coming  towards  her  with  the  look  and  ac 
tion  of  a  maniac. 

"  Ha  !  ha  !"  he  exclaimed  ;  "  have  I  found 
you  at  last,  faithless,  inconstant  girl !  Thou 
art  she — I  know  thee  by  thy  song." 

Thus  saying,  he  rushed  towards  the  affright 
ed  maid,  and  attempted  to  drag  her  towards  hi- 
hut.  Christina  struggled,  and  beeped  him  tor 


I4G  HOVI.VfJ-lMf,  ; 


to  ivlt-Msr  her;  hut  his  violen-'e  onl\ 
increased  \\itli  opposition.  His  r\es  lla-h- 
•  (1  lire,  hr  enashed  his  teetli,  and  foamed  at  the 
mouth  in  horrible  ec-tac\  . 

"  O  !  for  pitvV  -ake  —  for  the  sake  of  Hea 
ven,  my  lather,  all  those  who  have  bren  kind  to 
\  oii,l.  t  me  tro  —  lam  not  her  you  think;  myname 
i>  (  'hristina.'' 

"  False,  deceitful  woman,"  cried  the  maniac  ; 
"did  I  not  hear  the  sing  theesong  —  the  very  song! 
do  J  not  know  thee  by  thy  soft  blue  eye,  th\ 
<  n  r  ling,  flaxy  hair,  thy  voice,  thy  very  breath, 
whose  sweetuess  I  om-o  used  to  inhale  ?  Thuii 
liast  sought  me,  to  laugh  at  my  misery  and  tri 
umph  in  my  wrongs.  But  come  —  come  in," 
added  he  in  a  hurried  tone  —  "  come  in  ;  the  bri 
dal  bed  is  made  ;  I  have  waited  for  yon  many 
long  wintry  nights,  when  the  uolves  howled. 
and  thought  you'd  never  come.  In  —  in  —  \\t 
-hall  be  hapjn  yt." 

Sosaxing.  he  airain  attempted  to  force  her 
toward^  the  door  of  his  wretched  hut.  The 
poor  crirl  shrieked  and  stnurirled  with  all  her 
miirht,  and  the  fury  of  the  madman  increased 
with  her  resistance.  He  dragged  her  forcibly 
along,  and  when  she  caught  by  the  young  trees, 
nable  her  to  resist  more  effectually,  cruelly 


KONINGSMAHKi:.  147 

bruised  her  tender  hands,  to  force  her  to  let  go 
her  hold.  Gradually  her  powers  of  resistance 
gave  way  to  a  fainting,  deadly  languor.  Again 
she  shrieked  ;  and  at  that  moment  a  man  with  a 
gun  darted  from  the  woods  towards  them.  The 
maniac  let  go  his  hold,  and,  ere  the  stranger 
could  point  his  gun,  darted  forward,  and  seized 
it  witli  both  hands.  A  mortal  struggle  ensued. 
The  maniacr  with  a  desperate  effort,  snatched  the 
gun  from  the  other ;  who,  springing  forward, 
seized  him  round  the  waist,  and  forced  him  to 
drop  the  weapon,  in  order  to  defend  himself. 
They  fell,  the  stranger  uppermost ;  but  in  the 
act  of  falling,  the  maniac  seized  him  by  his  ruff, 
tore  it  oil*,  grappled  his  neck  with  his  long  nails, 
and,  burying  his  teeth  in  his  flesh,  seemed  to  en 
joy  the  sucking  of  his  blood.  Koningsmarke, 
for  it  was  h«>,  turned  black  in  the  face,  and  his  eyes 
became  gradually  almost  shrouded  in  darkness, 
when,  with  a  convulsive  effort,  he  placed  his 
knee  on  the  breast  of  the  maniac,  drew  himself 
up  on  a  sudden,  and  loosed  his  hold.  Both 
started  up  ;  but  Koningsmarke  had  a  moment's 
advantage,  which  he  employed  in  sci/.ing  the 
gun  and  running  a  (V-u  steps  from  him.  The 
other  followed. 

"Stand  off,"  cried  Koninffsmarke.     "  V» 


148  MAKKH. 

I  alone,  I  would  irheyou  a  fair  chance  ;  but  the 
lift'  and  happiness  ol'  an  angel  is  at  stake. 
Stand  oil— or— " 

The  maniac  advanced — one — two  step-.  The 
third  was  the  -trji  to  eternity.  The  piece  went 
oil' with  a  true  aim;  he  uttered  a  yelling  laugh, 
jumped  into  the  air,  and  Jell  without  sen-e  or 
motion.  Koningsmarke,  alter  >ati>t\in-  him- 
-i  if  that  all  was  o\er  with  the  poor  wretch,  has- 
tened  to  Christina,  \\lio  was  lying  insensible, 
\\ith  her  hair  dishevelled,  her  garments  torn,  and 
her  cheeks  a>  \\hite  as  the  pure  and  snowy  bo- 
-oiii.  whose  modest  covering  had  been  displaced 
in  the  >trm:ule.  He  called  her  his  dear  Chri<- 
tina ;  he  ran  to  the  brook  for  water  to  sprinkle 
her  face;  and  ki^-ed  the  drops  as  they  rolled 
down  her  pale  cheeks.  At  length  she  opened 
her'  '(1  for  a  moment  as  if  bewildered, 

and   shut    them    airain.      JJy     derive-.  houe\er, 
la  recollection    of  her  situation — 
adjusted  her    dre~.   and  e  — ayed  to   express  her 
ii'.ide.      Hut  her  voice    failed  her.      She  saw 
the  blood  running  from  the  neck  of  her  deliverer, 
wiped  it  a\\a\    \\hii   her   hair,    and  wistfnlh 
/.'IIIL:  <>n  the  wound,  cried  out  with  an  e.\pre-.Mon 
of  horrible    and   sudden    de-pair — "The    sear  ! 
the     seal  r    face  \\ith    both     her 


KONINGSMARKE.  140 

hands,  she  groaned  in  the  agony  of  conflicting 
emotions,  and  throwing  herself  to  the  earth,  was 
relieved  from  distraction  by  a  shower  of 
tears. 

It  was  now  evening — the  youth  raised  her  up, 
placed  her  arm  within  his,  and  pressed  it 
tenderly  to  his  heart.  Christina  shuddered, 
and  looked  up  in  his  face  with  an  expression  so 
tender,  yet  so  wretched,  that  had  not  his  con 
scious  heart  told  him  it  was  now  impossible,  he 
would  have  asked  her  to  be  his  for  ever.  They 
walked  home  without  uttering  a  word,  and  were 
received  with  a  very  bad  grace  by  the  Heer,  who 
did  not  much  like  their  walking  so  late  by  moon 
light.  But  w:hen  he  heard  the  story  of  Chris 
tina's  deliverance  from  the  blue-eyed  maiden  her 
self,  he  wept  over  her  like  an  infant,  and,  grasp 
ing  the  Long  Finne  in  his  arms,  blessed  the 
youth,  and  called  him  his  dear  son. 

A  long  illness  followed  this  adventure,  on  tht- 
part  of  Christina,  and  when  her  health  was 
apparently  restored,  her  innocent  sprightlines?, 
her  buoyant  step,  rosy  cheek,  laughing  eye,  and 
all  the  bright  hopes  which  youth  delights  to  che 
rish,  seemed  gone  for  ever.  From  this  time 
forward,  the  character  and  deportment  of  the 
poor  girl  seemed  to  have  undergone  a  preaf 

VOL.  i.  13 


KON 


Viol.-Mt  bur-t~  nj"  -:)\  ,  r\  ,  iollou»"i 
hi-tantanenii-  uloom  and  despondency;  lauprhter 
and  tear-  :  li-tl-'--  aemiit-erner.  or  ohstinatf 
oppn-'uion  to  the  wishes  of  all  around  her,  he- 
-poke  either  an  unsettled  mind,  or  a  heart  torn 
by  contending  feelinir-.  It  wa»-  believed  that 
the  friiiht  of  her  late  adventure  had  unsettled 
her  nerve-;,  and  all  the  \vi>e  old  women  of  thr 
villaue  pre>eribed  for  her  in  vain. 

But   her  deportment  towards  the  Long  Finin- 

marked  by  the  mo-t  sudden  anil  oxtra-n 
dinary  iue«»n-i-teneie>.  Sonietiino  she  \\ould 
-ilently  cotitemplftte  hi>faee,  till  the  tears  irushed 
from  her  eyes:  and  at  others,  u  hen  he  rame 
>uddenl\  into  her  pre-en<-e,  utter  a  ^rream  of 
liied  ferlinu,  and  llee  from  his  jire-i-n«'e  with 
i  look  of  horror.  She  would  -oinetline-  conseiu 
to  take  the  arm  of  the  youth,  and  walk  alontf  tho 
river  side,  and  then,  as  if  from  a  >udden  and 
irre-i-tible  impul-e,  snatch  it  auay,  and  reccu'l 
from  him.  a>  fn-jn  the  touch  of  a  serpent.  In 
-hort,  e\«T\  pa-^inu  da\  made  it  more  and  more 
apparent,  that  -he  was  struir.tilint'-  with  powerful 
and  eontdidiim  emotion-,  that  obtained  an  al- 
ty,  and  _  iM-rn.-d  her  action^  for 
•  he  moment,  with  unlimited  >wa\  . 

Koningsroark^,  thouc'h  he  -n\\.  and  appeared 


RON  IXG  S1IARKK .  1  O  1 

10  lament  this  change  in  her  character,  m-\«M- 
Assayed  to  draw  from  her  the  cause.  He  seemed 
deterred  by  a  secret  consciousness,  that  a  full 
explanation  would  do  him  at  least  no  good,  and 
continued  his  attentions  as  usual. 

Bombie  of  the  Frizzled  Head  acted  a  con 
spicuous  part  at  this  time,  and  became  more  in 
comprehensible  than  ever.  She  seemed  to  know 
the  secret  of  all  these  wonders,  but  would  tell 
nothing*  of  what  she  knew;  contenting  herself 
with  a  more  than  usual  quantity  of  mysterious 
warnings,  too  well  now  understood  by  Christina 
hut  incomprehensible  to  her  father.  The  Heer 
often  cursed  her  in  the  bitterness  of  his  perplex 
ity,  exclaiming — "  why  dost  thou  not  speak  out. 
thou  execrable  Snow  Ball."  But  Bombie  only 
>hook  her  head,  and  replied  as  usual:  "I  have 
seen  what  I  have  seen — I  know  what  I  know." 

One  day  as  Koningsmarke  had  taken  a  soli 
tary  walk,  and  was  seated  on  the  bank  of  the 
-tivam,  close  by  the  hut  of  the  solitary  stranger, 
reflecting  painfully  on  matters  that  deeply  con 
cerned  himself,  he  was  roused  from  his  reverie 
by  the  well-known  voice  of  the  Snow  Ball,  call 
ing  out,  "  Koningsmarke!" 

"I  am  here,"  he  replied. 
Tiinn  art  here,  wln-n  thou  shouldst  be  far 


KONINOSMARKF.. 


i\\;iy,"  crifd  the  Snnw  K;dl.  Art  thou  Ml 
-atislied  with  the  mother's  fate,  that  thou  hun- 
~t  for  the  ruin  of  the  daughter's  happiness? 
(in  thy  ways,  or  1  will  tell  what  1  have  seen,  and 
what  1  know." 

"  Who  will  helieve  thee  ':"  replied  the  Long 
Finne.  "  Thou  art  a  slave,  and  canst  not  wit- 
m-t  him  that  is  free.  I  have  been  long 
enough  a  wanderer,  without  a  resting  place;  I 
have  found  a  home  at  la-t.  and  I  will  not  go 
hence.  Tell  \\hatthou  wilt;  I  care  not." 

"  Ay,"  cried   the    syhil,    "  thou    hast   found  ;t 

home,  at  the  prir<-  of  mi-ery  to  those   who  afford 

thee  a  shelter  ;   thou  hast  turned  \  iper,  and  sttniL 

him    that   warmed   thee   at    his    fire;   thou   ha-i 

.  i.'d  tli\-eir  into   an   innocent   hosom,   to  d«-- 

-tro\     i;  .    or    corrupt  its  innocence,  and 

red  the   heart  that  woidd.  ay,  and  will  \rt, 

die  for  thee,  it'  thou    linux-re^t  here.      Depart,    I 

.  and    let  thi*  one  ac»    touard>   the  daughtei 

atone  for  thine  art.-  to  the  moth'  r." 

The  Lonp   I- "nine  wnniir   hi>    hand-,    and    the 

-  rolled  do\\n    lii-  cheeks,    a-  lie   exclaimed, 

••Woman!     woman!     \\hithcr    -hall.  I   go  r      I 

uould    remain   In  re,   where  none  but  thou    and 

know  who   1  am,   and  atone  lor  the  pa-t. 

;>\oiin<:   my-elf  to  the  happiness  of  Chris 


RONINGSMARKE,  153 

mia  and  her  father.  This  is  my  only  chance ; 
lor  if  I  go  hence  an  outcast,  I  shall  become — 
what  I  once  was.  The  fate  of  mine  immortal 
>oul  turns  upon  this  cast." 

"  It  is  too  late,"  replied  the  other ;  "  SHE 
KNOWS  IT  NOW.  Dost  thou  not  see  it  in  her 
tears,  her  struggles,  her  pale  cheek,  and  wild 
;md  hollow  eyes  f  It  is  too  late  ;  if  thou  stay- 
est,  she  dies — if  thou  goest  speedily,  she  may 
yet  live.  Hence,  then,  and  never  let  her  see 
thee  more." 

"  Away,  old  raven,"  answered  the  youth,  re- 
>uming  his  obduracy.  "  If  SHE  should  rise 
from  the  dead,  and  motion  me  with  her  fleshless 
finger,  to  the  north  or  the  south,  the  east  or  the 
west — nay,  if  I  saw  the  hand  of  Fate  pointing 
to  the  destruction  of  myself  and  all  around  me, 
I  would  stay." 

The  sybil  dropped  her  horn-headed  cane, 
raised  her  bent,  decrepit  figure,  till  she  stood 
upright  as  the  tall  pine,  threw  her  hands  an3 
fyes  towards  heaven,  and  cried  out,  in  the  bit 
terness  of  her  heart — 

"  Stay  then — and  may  the  curse  of  the  wicked 

«%onie   swiftly  upon  thee.       May   the    sorrow.- 

thou  hast  caused  unto  others  recoil  tenfold  upofi 

thy  blasted  head.     May  the  malediction  of  th< 

13* 


l-"->J  M.Ultvl.. 

father,  who  opened  \\\>  hou-r  to  tluv.  crush  rln 
spoiler.  May  the  forgiveness  of  her  who  will  die 
forgiving  thee,  be  but  the  forerunner  of  thim 
eternal  condemnation  to  that  fire  which  i-  nexer 
(.liienched  and  n»'\cr  consumes." 

Again  Bombie relapsed  into  her  usual  stoop'niL 
attitude,  picked  up  her  stick,  and  disapp  eared,  lea- 
\  ii^rthe  youth  with  a  load  of  consciousness  onhi> 
iieart,  but  with  a  determined  jwrpo-e  not  to  de 
part  from  Elsi&gburgh. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


Cold  and  raw  the  north  winds  blovv^ 
Bleak  in  the  morning  early  ; 

All  the  hills  are  covered  with  snow. 
And  winter's  now  come  fairly." 


WINTER,  with  silver  locks  and  sparkling 
icicles,  now  gradually  approached,  under  cover- 
of  his  northwest  winds,  his  pelting  storms,  cold, 
frosty  mornings,  and  bitter,  freezing  nights. 
\nd  here  we  will  take  occasion  to  express  our. 
obligations  to  the  popular  author  of  thr 
PIONEERS,  for  the  pleasure  we  have  derived 
from  his  happy  delineations  of  the  progress  of 
our  seasons,  and  the*  successive  changes  which 
mark  their  course.  All  that  remember  thdr 
youthful  days  in  the  country,  and  look  back 
with  tender,  melancholy  enjoyment,  upon  their 
slippery  gambols  on  the  ice,  their  Christmas  pic-., 
and  nut-crackings  by  the  cheerful  fireside,  will 
read  his  pages  with  a  gratified  spirit,  and  thank 
him  heartily  for  having  refreshed  their  memory, 
\rith  the  half-effaced  recollections  of  scenes  and 


M.. 

manners,  lahour-  and  delights,  which,  in  the 
progress  of  time,  and  the  changes  which  e\er\ 
where  mark  his  course,  will  in  some  future 
perhaps,  live  only  in  the  touches  of  hi*  pm.  If, 
in  the  cour-e  of  our  hi>tor\ .  we  should  chance 
to  dwell  upon  .-cent  -  soim •\\hat  -iinilar  to  tkosr 
hr  dr>crihr>,  or  to  mark  the-  varying  tints  of 
our  .seasons,  with  a  -ainrncss  of  colouring,  let  u- 
not  he  -timnatized  uith  horn»wing  from  him, 
-ince  it  is  next  to  impossible  to  he  true  to  na 
ture,  without  seejuinu  to  ha\e  liis  sketches  in 
our  e\e. 

The  holvdays,  those  wintry  hles-inus,  whicli 
eheer  tlie  heart  of  young  and  old,  and  uive  to 
the  i:looin\  depths  of  v,  inter  the  life  and  -pint  of 
laughingjjolly  -prinu,  \\rie  now  near  at  hand. 
The  chopping-knife  ^a\e  token  of  goodh 
minced  pies,  and  the  hustle  of  the  kitchen  af 
forded  shrewd  indication-  of  \\  hat  uascomiiiL- 
l>\  and  h\.  The  celebration  of  the  new  \ear. 
it  i-  well  known,  came  originally  from  the  northern 
nations  of  Knrope,  who  still  keep  up  main  <•( 
the  pra-  'iiiisements,  ,nnl  enjoyinents, 

Known  to  their  ancestors.      The  lleer   Piper  va- 
hn-d    himself   upon    1^  ••imine   northern 

man.  and,  consequently,    held   the   winter   Itoly- 
<Ia\-  in  .special  favour  and  afiection.     la  addi- 


KOMNOSMARKF.  J  "»7 

rion  to  this  hereditary  attachment  to  ancient 
>ms,  it  was  shrcudly  snxjjprtfd,  that  his  zeal 
in  celebrating  these  good  old  sports  was  not  a 
little  quickened,  in  consequence  of  his  mortal 
antagonist,  William  Penn,  having  hinted,  in  the 
course  of  their  controversy,  that  the  pf  actice  of 
keeping  holydays  savoured  not  only  of  popery, 
but  paganism. 

Before  the  Heer  consented  to  sanction  thr 
projects  of  Dominie  Kanttwell  for  abolishing 
sports  and  ballads,  he  stipulated  for  full  liberty, 
on  the  part  of  himself  and  his  people  of  Elsing- 
burgh,  to  eat,  drink,  sing  and  frolic  as  much  as 
they  liked,  during  the  winter  holydays.  In 
fact,  the  Dominie  made  no  particular  opposition 
10  tliis  suspension  of  his  blue-laws,  being  some- 
what  addicted  to  good  eating  and  drinking. 
whenever  the  occasion  justified  ;  that  is  to  say, 
K  henever  such  accidents  came  in  his  way. 

1 1   had   long  been   the  custom  with  Governor 
Piper,   to  usher  in  the  new  year  with  a  gram! 
-upper,  to  v.hirh  the  Dominie,  the  member 
the  council,  and  rcn;.iu  of  the  most  respert 
Burghers,  were  alway-  bidden.     This  year,  he 
determined  to  -ee  tin-  old  \v;ir  out.  and  the  new 
one  in,  as  the  phrase  WH-.  hnvinir  just    heard  of 
\  lined    by   i!i<>    Bulwark    of  th( 


CONI  -K.J.. 


Religion,      tilt'     immort;il     (iii>ta\  u.- 
which.    tlmiK.'h    it    happened    nearh 

fonryear>  before,  had  only  new  reached  the  villain- 
•  if  Kl>inirbnrirh.      Accordinirh.   the    Snow  Ball 
liomhie.    was    set   to    work  in  tin-   cookinir    of  a 
mortal     -"upper;    whirli,    aurn-ahlv    to   llit-    i 
of  \\r-t  Indian  cpicin  :i<onrd  with  >nc|i 

onormous  quantities  of  red  prppt-r,  that  whoc\ri 
>%a-  ohliircd  to  drink,  to  keep  his  inotitli  from 
getting  OB  fire,  like  unto  a  chimney. 

Kxartly  at  ten    o'clock,  the    une-l-    >at    down 

lo  the  table,    wherelhex    ate    and    drank    to    the 

Micces>  of  the  Protestant  cause,  the  elory  of  the 

•  (   (iii.-tavus,    the   downfall    of  Popery   'and 

(^iiakfr-,   \\ith   eijnal    /eal    and    patriiiti>in. 

The    instant  the   clock    »trnrk    twel\e.    a    round 

!  from  the  fort,  and   a  \ast  and  hottom- 

'ppo>ed  to  he  the    identical    one    in 

which  the  f.'iimii-   wise  men  of  (iothain  went  \<> 

hronirht    in,  filled    to   the   utmost  hrim 

with    -mokinir  punch.      The    memory  of  tin 

and   the    hope-  »\'  the    An 
drank    in    a    special    bumper  '    'i 

ired,    and    noi-e    and 

the  order  of  the  night.     The  H  t 

\    of  havinc   >urprised    and    t; 
let-iruanl,   under  the  trn-at    (•  1 


KONING9MARKE.  159 

»<ach  of  the  guests  contributed  his  tale,  taking 
special  care,  however,  not  to  outdo  their  host  in 
the  marvellous,  a  thing  which  always  put  the 
Governor  out  of  humour. 

Counsellor  Langfanger  talked  wonderfully 
about  public  improvements  ;  Counsellor  Varlett 
sung,  or  rather  roared,  a  hundred  verses  of  a 
song  in  praise  of  Rhenish  wine ;  and  Othman 
Pfegel  smoked  and  tippled,  till  he  actually  came 
to  a  determination  of  bringing  matters  to  a 
crisis  with  the  fair  Christina  the  very  next  day. 
Such  are  the  wonder-working  powers  of  hot 
punch !  As  for  the  Dominie,  he  departed  about 
the  dawn  of  day,  in  such  a  plight,  that  if  it  had 
not  been  impossible,  we  should  have  suspected 
him  of  being,  .as  it  were,  a  little  overtaken  with 
the  said  punch.  To  one  or  two  persons  who 
chanced  to  see  him,  he  actually  appeared  to 
stagger  a  little ;  but  such  was  the  stout  faith  of 
the  good  Dominie's  parishioners,  that  neither  of 
these  worthy  fellows  would  believe  his  own  eye:- 
sufficiently  to  state  these  particulars. 

A  couple  of  hours  sleep  sufficed  to  disperse 
the  vapours  of  punch  and  pepper-pot ;  for  heads 
in  those  days  were  much  harder  than  now,  and 
the  Heer,  as  well  as  his  roistering  companions, 
rose  betimes  to  irive  ;nul  receive  the  romph'inenfs 


160  KONINGSMARKE. 

and  good  wishes  of  the  season.  The  morning 
was  still,  clear,  and  frosty.  The  sun  shone  with 
the  lustre,  though  not  with  the  warmth  of  sum 
mer,  and  his  bright  beams  were  reflected  with 
indescribable  splendour,  from  the  glassy,  smooth 
•  •xpanse  of  ice,  that  spread  across,  and  up  and 
down  the  broad  river,  far  as  the  eye  could  see. 
The  smoke  of  the  village  chimneys  rose  straight 
into  the  air,  looking  like  so  many  inverted 
pyramids,  spreading  gradually  broader,  and 
broader,  until  they  melted  away,  and  mixed 
imperceptibly  with  ether.  Scarce  was  the 
Min  above  the  horizon,  when  the  village  vva- 
alive  with  rosy  boys  and  girls,  dressed  in  their 
new  suits,  and  going  forth  with  such  warm  an 
ticipations  of  happiness,  as  time  and  experience 
imperceptibly  fritter  away,  into  languid  hopes 
or  strengthening  apprehensions.  "  Happ\ 
New  Year !"  came  from  every  mouth, 
and  every  heart.  Spiced  beverages  and  \\i-\\ 
rakes,  were  given  away  with  liberal  open  hand; 
••\i-rybody  was  welcomed  to  every  notice;  all 
aed  to  forget  their  little  heart-burnings,  and 
disputes  of  yore — all  seemed  happy,  and  all  were 
-o  ;  and  the  Dominie,  who  always  wore  his  coat 
with  four  great  pockets  on  new-year  day.  f,\\\\> 


KOMM.-V  M:KE.  1(51 

home  and  emptied  them  seven  times,  of  loads  oi' 
new-year  cookies. 

When  the  gay  groups  had  finished  their 
rounds  in  the  village,  the  ice  in  front  was  seen 
all  alive  with  the  small  fry  of  Elsingburgh, 
gamboling  and  skating,  sliding  and  tumbling,  hel- 
ter  skelter,  and  making  the  frost-bit  ears  of  win 
ter  glad  with  the  sounds  of  mirth  and  revelry. 
In  one  place  was  a  group  playing  at  hurley, 
with  crooked  sticks,  with  which  they  sometimes 
hit  the  ball,  and  sometimes  each  other's  shins. 
In  another,  a  knot  of  sliders,  following  in  a  row, 
so  that  if  the  foremost  fell,  the  re>t  were  sure  to 
tumble  over  him.  A  little  farther  might  be 
seen  a  few,  that  had  the  good  fortune  to  pos 
sess  a  pair  of  skates,  luxuriating  in  that  most 
graceful  of  all  exercises,  and  emulated  by  some 
half  a  dozen  little  urchins,  with  smooth  bones 
fastened  to  their  feet,  in  imitation  of  the  others, 
skating  away  with  a  gravity  and  perseverance 
worthy  of  better  implements.  All  was  rout, 
lamvhter,  revelry  and  liappii:<--> ;  and  that  day 
the  icy  mirror  of  the  noble  Delaware  reflected 
as  light  hearts  as  ever  beat  together  in  the  new 
world.  At  twelve  o'clock,  the  jolly  Heer,  ac 
cording  to  his  immemorial  custom,  Went  forth 
from  the  edge  of  the  river,  distributing  applr-. 

\oi..  i.  14 


10J  KON1MJSM.VRKE. 

and  other  dainties,  together  with  handsfull  ot 
wampum,  which,  rollini;  away  on  the-  ice  in  dif 
ferent  directions,  occasioned  innumerable  con 
tests  and  sqnabhles  among  tin-  fry,  whose  dis- 
jnitcs,  ttinibles,  and  occasional  bnftelings  for  tin- 
prizes,  were  inimitably  ludicrous  upon  the  slip 
pery  element.  Among  the  most  obstreperous 
and  mischievous  of  the  crowd  was  that  likely 
follow  Cnpid,  who  made  more  noise,  and  trip 
ped  up  more  heels  that  day,  than  any  half  a 
dozen  of  his  cotemporaries.  His  voice  could 
!><•  heard  above  all  the  rest,  especially  after  the 
arrival  of  the  Heer,  before  whom  lie  seemed 
to  think  it  his  duty  to  exert  himself,  while 
his  unrestrained,  extravagant  laugh,  exhibited 
that  singular  hilarity  of  spirit  which  distin 
guishes  the  deportment  of  the  African  slave 
from  the  invariable  gra\ity  of  the  free  red- 
man  of  the  western  world. 

All  dny.  and  until  after  the  sun  had  set,  and  the 
shadows  of  niiibt  succeeded,  the  sports  of  the 
continued,  and  the  merry   sounds   nmir   far  and 
near,  occasionally  interrupted    by   those    loud 
noises,   which   sometimes   shoot   across   the 
like  a  rushing  earthquake,   and  are  occasioned 
by  its  crackinir,  as  the  water  ri-es  or  falls.      All 
at  once,  however,  these  bursts  of  noisy  merri- 


TtONINGSMARKK.  163 

rneiit  ceased,  and  were  succeeded  by  a  hol 
low,  indistinct  murmur,  which  gradually  died 
away,  giving  place  to  a  single  voice,  calling,  as 
if  from  a  distance,  with  a  voice  growing  feebler 
at  every  repetition,  "  Help  !  help  !  help  !" 

Presently  it  was  rumoured,  that  a  traveller, 
coming  down  the  river  on  the  ice,  had  fallen 
into  what  is  called  an  air-hole,  occasioned  by 
the  tide,  which  was  stronger  at  this  spot,  in  con- 
>equence  of  the  jutting  out  of  a  low,  rocky 
point.  In  places  of  this  sort,  the  ice  does  not 
cease  all  at  once,  but  becomes  gradually  thin 
ner  and  weaker  towards  the  centre,  where  there 
is  an  open,  unfrozen  space.  The  consequence 
is,  that  if  a  person  is  so  unfortunate  as  to  fall 
into  one  of  these  places,  which  are,  in  fact, 
hardly  distinguishable  at  night  from  the  solid 
ice,  it  is  next  to  impossible  to  escape  by  his  own 
efforts,  or  to  be  relieved  by  those  of  others.  As 
fast  as  he  raises  himself  upon  the  ice,  it  breaks 
from  under  him,  and  every  effort  diminishes  his 
strength,  without  affording  him  relief.  Thus 
the  poor  wretch  continues  his  hopeless  struggles, 
and  becomes  gradually  weaker  and  weaker,  un 
til,  finally,  his  blood  is  chilled,  his  limbs  be 
come  inflexible,  he  loses  his  hold,  and  sinks  to 
rise  no  more. 


104 

The   same   cause   that   forbids    his    relie\  int.' 
himself,  operates  in  preventing  other-  ;   since,  if 
;'iiv   one   were  to  approarh   suflicienth    near  to 
reach  his  hand,  the  ice  \vonld  break  under  him, 
and  both  would  peri-h   together.     In  this  situa 
tion  was  the  poor  man  whose   rries  were  now- 
heard,  at  intervals,    growing  weaker  and  weak 
er.      All  the  \iil:i  -ut,   and   many  hardy 
^pirits,  actuated  by  fer  lings  of  humanity,  made 
vain  and   desperate  attempts  to  approach  suffi 
ciently  near  to  a  fiord  assistance.     But  although 
1  their  lives,  none  succeeded  ;  and 
at  length  the  conviction  that  his  fate  was  inevita- 
\  a>   announced  in  u  disninl  ;>-ronn  from    tlie 
anders.       At   this  moment  the  Long  Finiic- 
approached,   with  two    boards  upon  his  shoul 
der,  which  he  brought  as  near  tp die  opening 
a-  \\as  safe  to  approach  it   on   foot.     Standing 
'ly  at  this  line,  he  threw  one  of  the  boards 
upon  the  ice  before  him,  and,  dratruiiiii  the  other 
after,  proceeded   cautiou-ly    alonir  to  the  end. 
Then  he  dn-\\  ap  the  board  which  he  had  drag- 
behind,  and  threw  it  before  him,   walking 
illy    and   c:«u«'i.ni>ly   on  that,   dragging  the 
other   after    him    a>   ln-lnre.       In   this    manner, 
while  the    Inlanders    watched    in    hreathlc— 
Icnco.   he   trradually    approached    the    op»iniiiir. 


KONINGSMARKE.  165 

encouraging   the   poor   man   to   hold  out,   for 
God's  sake,  a  few  moments  longer. 

At  last  he  came  near  enough  to  throw  him  a 
cord,  which  he  had  brought  with  him.  The 
perishing  wretch  caught  it,  and  while  Konings- 
marke  held  the  other  end,  essayed  to  raise  himself 
out  of  the  water  by  its  assistance.  But  the  ef 
fort  was  beyond  his  strength,  the  ice  again  broke 
under  him,  and  he  disappeared,  as  all  thought, 
forever.  He  arose,  however,  with  a  des"- 
perate  effort.  "  Tie  the  cord  around  your 
waist,"  cried  the  youth.  "  My  fingers  are 
stiff  with  cold,"  replied  the  other,  "  and  if  I  let 
go  the  ice  to  tie  the  cord,  I  am  gone."  Ko- 
ningsmarke  now  crawled  on  his  hand  and  knees, 
on  one  of  the  boards,  and  pushing  the  other  be 
fore  him,  cautiously  crept  to  the  end  of  the 
advanced  board.  He  was  near  enough  to 
reach  the  hand  of  the  drowing  man,  and  to  fas 
ti  n  the  cord  about  his  arm.  Then,  receding 
in  the  manner  he  had  advanced,  lie  threw  the 
other  end  of  the  cord  to  the  people,  who  drag 
ged  the  poor  wretch  out  ofthe  water,  witli  a  shout 
that  announced  the  triumph  of  courage  and 
humanity. 

During  the  whole  of  the  scone  we    have    jus. 
^i.'-rnbcd,  the   anxiety   of   Christina  had    ^ 
14* 


Kl'-.  .    Kl    . 

excited  in  the  most  painful  manner.  At  I'u>t,  the 
filiation  of  the  poor  perishing  traveler  monopo 
lized  1  if ;  -.  but  when  it  was  told  her,  thai 

the  Lonu  Finne  v,  -i-  ri>UiiiLC  his  lift-  for  the  stran 
ger,  her  apprehensions  rose  to  a  irony  ;  >he  wrung 
tier  hands,  and,  uncon-cious  of  the  presence  of 
;»n\  body,  would  exclaim,  "  he  will  he  drown 
ed,  he  will  be  drowned  !"  The  hollow  voice  of 
tlie  Friz/led  Head  an-wered,  and  said,  "be 
not  afraid  ;  the  race  of  him  lor  who-e  >alrt\  thou 
feare.>t,  i>  not  (!f-tint'd  to  close  here.  He  will 
not  perish  by  wat«  r." 

"  \Vhalineaiie.-t  thou!"  exclaimed  the  appre- 
heii>i\e  Lrirl. 

"  II.'  will  iso  upwards,  not  downwanN,  out  of 
the  world/'  replied  the  Fri/./.lrd  Head,  and  gli 
ded  out  of  the  room. 

\ow  \\a>  heard  the  noise  of  many  footMep<, 
and  many  tonirm-s,  approaching,  and  Chri>t;na 
summoned  her  fortitude  to  go  down  >tairs,  for 
the  purpose  of  ottering  her  assistrsnc*-.  -h(juld 
it  be  necc-sar\.  The  body  of  tlie  stranger, 
now  almost  still' and  frozen,  was  brought  in,  laid 
in  a  bed  with  warm  blankets,  and  ,eans 

taken  to  restore  the  waning  circulation.  Slow 
ly,  these  applications  had  the  desired  eliect  :  the 
stranger  gradually  recovered.  He  announced 


KONINGSMARKE.  167 

himself  as  from  Coaquanock,  and  as  being  on 
his  way  down  to  the  Hoar  Kills,  having  taken  the 
ice,  as  the  best  and  most  direct  path  thither. 
The  worthy  Heer,  whose  generous  feelings  ne 
ver  failed  to  conquer  his  antipathies,  treated  the 
stranger  with  the  greatest  kindness,  during  his 
progress  to  a  perfect  recovery ;  praised  and  ca 
ressed  the  Long  Finne,  for  his  gallant  presence 
of  mind ;  and  finally  observed,  "  I  would  give 
twenty  rix-dollars,  if  the  galgen  schivenkel  had 
been  any  thing  save  a  Quaker." 


CHAPTER  \ 


*  Bonny  law !  bonny  lass !  will  you  be  mine  ? 
Thou  shall  neither  wash  dishes,  nor  serve  the  wine; 
But    it  on  a  cushion,  and  sew  up  a 
\nd  dine  upon  strawberries,  sugar  and  cream." 


FORTUNE,  or  fate,  or  call  it  what  you  will, 
,••<!  to  have  ordained  that  the  struggles  of 
the  fair  Christina,  between  filial  piety  and 
youthful  love,  should  be  perpetually  revived, 
i ml  become  mere  painfully  bitter  by  the  conduct 
of  the  Long  Finne.  He  had  saved  her  from 
the  violence  of  the  maniac,  and  thus  excited  her 
everlasting  gratitude;  and  soon  after,  performed 
an  act  of  darincr  humanity,  that  called  forth  all 
her  admiration.  Tims  every  effort  she  made  to 
drive  him  from  her  heart,  was  met  by  some 
action  of  his,  that  only  riveted  him  more 
-trongly  there. 

(Jradually,  during  the  long  winter,  she 
•withdrew  herself  as  much  as  pos-ilile  from 
ihe  society  of  the  youth,  and  avoided  all 
private  interview?,  or  solitarv  walks. 


KONINGSMARKE.  1C9 

• 

was  one  of  those  rare  females,  the  rarest  and 
the  most  valuable  of  all  the  blessed  race  of 
women,  who  never  suffer  the  w  eakness  of  their 
nerves,  or  the  intensity  of  their  feelings,  to 
interfere  with  filial,  maternal,  or  domestic 
duties.  She  was  aware  that  this  was  little  else 
than  the  indulgence  of  an  overwrought  self-love, 
and  that  employment  in  the  discharge  of  one's 
duties,  is  twice  blessed — blessed  in  the  happiness 
it  communicates  to  those  within  the  sphere  of 
its  influence,  and  blessed  in  the  balm  it  adminis 
ters  to  our  own  sorrows.  She  became  even  more 
unremitting  than  ever,  in  attending  upon  her 
father,  administering  to  his  liult;  infirmities,  and 
anticipating  all  his  wants.  She  never  willingly 
subjected  herself  to  the  dangers  of  idleness,  but 
sought,  on  all  occasions,  to  force  her  mind  from 
painful  contemplation,  by  the  performance  of 
her  domestic  duties.  Still  there  were  long  hours 
of  the  night,  when  she  could  not  be  busy,  and 
when,  in  silence  and  solitude,  her  woes  clustered 
around  her  like  shadowy  spirits,  destroying  the 
blessed  comfort  of  a  quiet  sleep,  by  awakening 
recollections  of  the  past  unaccompanied  by 
pleasure,  and  anticipations  of  the  future  destitute 
of  hope.  The  palcm  s>  of  her  cheek,  the  languor 
of  her  figure,  and  her  eye,  gradually  became 


170  KONlNT.«MARkt.. 

more  and  more  apparent,  until  at  last  the  pood 
Heer  began  to  observe,  and  to  be  alarmed  at 
her  look-. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  Long  Finne  )• 
whole  d:i\-  in  the  woods,  with  bis  dog  and  gnu. 
either  to  relieve  ( 'hristina  from  hi-  presence,  or 
to  bide  his  own  feeling-  in  the  depth-  of  the  for- 
*'-t.  where  theaxeof  the  woodm;m,  or  the  voice  ol' 
a  civilized  being,  bad  never  been  heard.  Some 
times  he  crossed  the  river  on  the  ice,  and  pene 
trated  into  the  pines,  whieli  reared  their  green 
heads  into  the  heavens,  and  presented,  in  iheir 
dark  foliage,  a  contract  to  the  white  snow, 
that,  if  possible,  added  to  the  wintry  gloom. 
\t  oilier  times,  he  turned  his  steps  westward, 
where,  -ave  a  little  cultivated  space  about  the  vil 
lage.  one\a-t  and  uninterrupted  world  of  fore-i 
tended,  as  it  were,  to  the  regions  of  the  setting 
sun.  Here  be  roamed  about,  immersed  in 
thoughts  as  gloomy  a-  the  black  wintry  woods 
mer  hi-  head,  and  unconscious  of  his  purpose, 
until  the  whirring  partridge,  suddenly  rising 
and  thundering  among  the  branches,  or  the 
sudden  barking  of  his  dog  at  a  scjuirrel,  or  oc 
casionally  at  a  bear,  roused  hi>  attention.  He 
-••Mom  or  never  brought  home  an\  game,  and 
numerous  were  the  jests  which  the  Heer  cracked 


KONINGSMARKE.  171 

on  his  want  of  skill  in  the  noble  sports  of  hunt 
ing.  The  Long  Finne  would  often  have  been 
lost  in  the  woods,  had  it  not  been  for  his  dog, 
who,  with  unerring  sagacity,  always  showed 
him  the  way  home. 

One  day,  we  believe  it  might  have  been  to 
wards  the  latter  end  of  February,  Koningsmarke 
set  forth  on  his  customary  ramble,  with  his  gun 
on  his  shoulder,  his  tinder-box,  flint,  and  steel, 
the  indispensable  appendages  of  ramblers  in  those 
pathless  woods.  He  whistled,  and  called  for  his 
dog,  but  the  animal  had  been  seduced  away,  in 
the  pure  spirit  of  mischief,  by  that  likely  fellow, 
Cupid.  Koningsmarke,  therefore,  proceeded 
without  him,  with  a  friendly  caution  from  the 
Heer,  to  look -which  way  he  went,  not  to  wander 
too  far,  and,  with  an  arch  wink,  to  be  sure  and 
bring  home  a  fat  haunch  of  venison.  The  Long 
Finne  soon  forgot  the  advice,  and  the  joke,  and 
before  noon,  had  wandered  so  far  into  the  fo 
rest,  that  he  could  see  none  of  his  usual  land 
marks,  nor  any  object  which  he  recognised. 
Towards  one  o'clock  it  became  overcast,  raw 
and  chill v,  ami  every  tliinu  presaged  a  storm. 
The  Long  Finne  thought  it  high  time  to  retrace 
his  steps  ;  but  without  some  path,  or  some  guide, 
to  direct  IIH  course,  a  man  in  a  irreal  tov'-t  only 


172 

walks  in  ;i  circle.  He  heard  that  dreary,  dismal 
hmvl,  which  i.-  caiiM-dhy  the  wind  rushing  among 
the  leafleas  branches  of  the  trel  .  :<ially  in- 
crea-e,  and  s\\ e!l,  and  ^harpen,  till  it  became  a  shrill 
whi.-tl.1  thut  made  hU  blood  run  cold.  In  a  lit 
tle-  time  the  -non  beuan  to  fall  in  almost  imper 
ceptible  particles,  indicating  not  only  intense 
cold,  but  a  long-continued  and  heavy  fall.  The 
Long  Finne  had  just  made  a  disco\ery  that  he 
had  lost  his  wa\,  and  that  if  he  did  not  speedily 
find  it,  the  chances  were  ten  to  one.  that  he  pe 
rished  that  niaht  in  the  snow.  Mow,  though 
he  had,  in  the  course  of  his  da\\  ramble,  twice 
come  to  a  resolution  to  put  an  end  to  his  mise 
rable  perplexities  by  slmotintr  himself  through 
the  head,  he  felt  not  a  little  -tartled  at  the  dan- 
gers  of  his  present  situation.  There  is  a  urea i 
difference  between  a  man  dying  of  his  own  ac 
cord,  and  dyiiiir  becan-e  he  cannot  help  it. 
The  one  i>  an  act  of  free  will,  whereas  the  oth 
er  -:nack>  of  coercion  ;  and  men  no  more  like 
to  die,  than  .lark  FaMaff  did  to  give  a  reason, 
upon  compulsion. 

The  Lonu;  Finne,  accordingly, tacitly  atrreed 
with  himself  to  postpone  dyiim  for  the  present, 
and  make  use  of  the  few  remain'mir  liours  of 
daylight  to  seek  hi- wa\  home.  But  in  his  per- 


.M  \KKE. 

plexity,  he  wandered  about  in  the  labyrinths  of 
the  forest  until  near  dark,  without  recognising 
any  object  that  could  assist  in  deciding  where 
lie  was.  He  hallooed,  and  fancied  he  heard 
the  barking  of  a  dog,  but  when  he  approached 
it  nearer,  it  turned  out  to  be  the  howling  of  a 
wolf.  At  another  time  he  heard,  afar  off,  the 
long  echoes  of  a  gun,  but,  in  the  depths  of  the 
woods,  could  not  distinguish  the  direction  in 
which  it  was  fired. 

The  dusky  shadows  of  night  began  to  gather 
around,  and  reminded  the  Long  Finne,  that  if 
darkness  overtook  him  before  he  had  prepared 
<ome  kind  of  shelter,  he  would  never  see  the 
morning.  In  looking  about,  he  observed  a 
large  pine  tree  that  had  been  blown  down,  to 
the  roots  of  which  was  attached  a  quantity  of 
earth,  which  afforded  some  shelter  in  that  quar 
ter.  The  snow  had  drifted  against  the  windward 
side  of  the  fallen  trunk,  and,  as  frequently  hap 
pens,  left  a  bare  space  on  the  leeward.  By 
>craping  under  the  snow,  he  gathered  a  quantity 
of  dry  leaves,  with  which  he  made  a  bed  ;  and 
contrived  a  sort  of  covering,  by  breaking  off 
the  branches  of  the  fallen  pine,  and  laving  them 
with  one  end  on  the  ground,  the  other  rotintr  f>n 
the  trunk  of  the  tree.  He  then  gathered  ;i 

VOL.  i.  15 


174  KONIN'.-VAKM.. 

quantity  of  brush,  dry  wood,  and  leaves,  with 
which  to  keep  lire  during  the  night,  for  such 
\\a-  tin-  inten>ity  of  the  cold,  that  without  the 
aid  of  artificial  warmth,  he  mu>t  ha\r  inevitably 
perished  before  morning.  By  the  time  tliese 
preparations  wcro  finished  it  was  quite  dark;  the 
uiud  whistled  louder  and  louder  through  the 
leafless  branches,  that  cracked  in  the  onset,  and 
the  storm  every  moment  incrca-ed  in  \iolence. 

In  painful  anxiety,  the  Lone:  Finne  prepared 
his  implements  for  striking  fire,  and  collected 
some  of  the  driest  leaves  and  sticks,  for  the 
purpose  of  lighting  them  with  his  tinder.  In  his 
eagerness  to  strike  fire,  the  flint  flew  from  his 
benumbed  hand,  and  lie  could  not  find  it  again 
in  the  obscurity  that  surrounded  him.  He  then 
unscrewed  the  flint  from  his  gun  ;  but,  just  at  the 
instant  the  sparks  had  communicated  to  the 
tinder,  a  sudden  j)ufl' of  wind  l»le\\  it  out  of  the 
box,  and  scattered  it  in  the  air.  A  moment  of 
irresolution  and  de-pair,  and  he  bethought 
himself  of  one  more  chance  for  his  life.  He  re 
placed  the  flint  in  his  gun,  which  he  fired  oli' 
against  the  trunk  of  the  fallen  tree  ;  the  burning 
wad  fell  upon  the  dry  leave-  placed  there,  and 
l>\  carefully  blowing  it  with  hi-  mouth,  a  little 


KONINGSMARKE.  175 

flame  was  produced,  which  at  length  caught  the 
leaves,  and  relieved  his  breathless  anxiety. 

The  Long  Finne  carefully  placed  the  wood 
over  the  leaves,  until  a  blazing  fire  illuminated  the 
dismal  gloom  of  the  forest;  and  then  proceeded  to 
collect  a  sufficient  quantity  of  fuel  to  last  the  night. 
The  fire  was  kindled  just  at  the  mouth  of  his  lit 
tle  shelter,  into  which  he  crept  with  a  determina 
tion  to  watch  through  the  night,  and  keep  up  his 
fire,  well  knowing  that  if  he  fell  asleep,  and 
suffered  it  to  go  out,  he  would  probably  never 
wake  again.  But  the  fatigue  he  had  gone 
through  during  the  day,  the  intense  cold  he  had 
endured,  and  the  weakness  occasioned  by  long 
fasting,  all  combined  to  produce  an  irresistible 
drowsiness,  and  long  before  morning  he  fell 
asleep.  How  long  he  slept  he  knew  not,  but 
when  he  revived  to  some  degree  of  conscious 
ness,  he  was  without  the  use  of  his  limbs  ;  the 
fire  was  almost  extinguished,  and  he  was  unable 
to  raise  himself  up,  or  move  hand  or  foot.  A 
horrible  apprehension  came  over  him,  and  the 
sudden  impulse  it  communicated  to  the  pulsation 
of  the  heart,  probably  saved  his  life.  By  de 
grees  he  was  able  to  crawl  to  the  fire,  which  he 
raked  together,  and  replenished  with  fuel ; 
and  then,  by  violent  exercise,  restored  the  circu- 


I  70  KOMN(.5MARKE. 

lation  of  his  blood.  In  a  little  while  the  day 
broke,  the  clouds,  cleared  ;i\\  a\ ,  ;ind  the  sun  rose 
briirht  and  cl.  ar.  l>\  the  aid  of  this  sure  guide, 
he  was  enabled  to  ^hape  \\\<  course  towards  the 
ri\t  r.  which  having  once  pained,  he  could  ea>il\ 
find  his  way  back  to  the  village. 

It  being  usual  for  the  Lone:  Finne  to  stay  out 

till  day  on   his  hunting   excursions,  his    absence 

'led  no  anxiety  until  it    became  dark.     The 

intense  cold    had  gathered  the  good    Heer  and 

his  family  close  around  a    blazing  hickory    fire. 

\\here.  at  fir.-t,  the\   bre'an  to    wonder  what  had 

b.  eome  of  the  youth.     By  degrees,  as  the  even- 

ad\nnced,   and  the   storm  grew  louder  and 

louder,  their  apprehensions  became  painful,  and 

;  fnrni.-hed   a  variety  of  sugjre.-tions,    to  ar- 

i    for   his    non-appearanc«%    none  of  which. 

ho\\(\er,  \\ei-e    satisfactory.      A>  bed   time  drew 

near,  and  he  came  not,  the  fair  and  gentle  Chri<- 

lina.  could  no  longer  conceal  tlio-e   keen    anxie- 

iilch  virtuous  timidity  had  hitherto  enabled 

her  to  sinotherin  the  recesses  of  her  heart.      "  lit 

\\ill  jierish  in  the  snow,"  cried  >hc  in  agon\  ;  and 

-lie    bevonoht    her  father   to  alarm    the   village. 

.  a  party  \\  a<  collected.  <omecarr\- 

_Mins,  to  go  into  the  woods 

arch  of  the  lo.-t  Koningsmarke.     They  hal- 


KONINGSMARKE.  177 

looed  and  fired  their  guns  to  no  purpose:  no 
answer  was  received,  except  from  others  of  the 
party;  and  about  midnight  they  had  all  returned, 
with  a  full  conviction  that  the  Long  Fihne  had 
already  perished  in  the  snow.  The  good  Heer 
shed  tears  at  the  thought  of  his  melancholy  fate  ; 
but  the  eyes  of  his  fair  daugher  were  dry,  while 
her  heart  wept  drops  of  blood. 

She  retired  to  her  chamber,  and  gave  vent  to 
her  feelings  in  exclamations  of  despairing  an 
guish.  "  He  has  perished  alone  ;  he  is  buried 
under  the  cold  snows,  and  the  wolves  will  de 
vour  his  dead  corse  !"  "  Better,"  answered  the 
voice  of  the  Frizzled  Head — "  better  that  he 
should  perish  alone,  than  that  others  should  die 
for  him  !  better  that  the  wolves  should  devour 
him,  than  that  he  should  devour  the  innocent 
lamb!  Heaven  is  just." 

"  But  to  perish  thus  !"  exclaimed  Christina, 
\vringing  her  hands. 

"  It  may  serve  to  expiate  his  crime,"  answer 
ed  the  Snow  Ball.  "  Better  to  perish  unseen  in 
the  depths  of  the  forest,  than  dangle  in  the  air, 
a  spectacle  for  the  multitude  to  scorn,  and  the 
vultures  to  peck  at !" 

"  It  may  be  so — it  may  be  so,"  replied  the 
maiden,  "  but  oh  !  righteous  Providence,  would 
1ft* 


that  I  had    bem    spared    this    dreadful,  dreadful 
"  Kemem!:;  :  .  ,-.•<!  tin-  Snow   IJall,  "  I'-  - 

member  what  lit-  who  >a\ed  thy  hie  caused  to 
IHT  v,  IKI  -rive  thce  th\  life:  her  spirit  watcln- 
dice."  So  savin-.  >ln-  izlidrd  out  of  the  room, 
:ind  poor  Christina  thrrw  herself  on  tlie  bed, 
\vlicn-  >he  la\  till  mornine,  a  prey  to  the  nio-t 
hitter  and  coiiH'K-tiim-  emotions. 
A  ithi  I  K>ng  Pinne  was  bending  hil  wear}  i->>« 

towards  the  rising  8UD,  he  heard  the  barking  of 
a  doir  at  a  distance,  \\hich  he  answered  by  hal 
looing  aloud.  Presently  the  barking  came 
nearer,  and  in  a  few  minutes  he  saw  his  faithful 
fox-hound  speeding  towards  him.  The  poor 
animal  crawled  at  hi.-  feet,  \\airued  hi>  tail,  and 
whined  his  jo\  at  >eehm  hi>  master.  He 
then  licked  his  hand,  luolved  up  wi.-tfnlly  in  his 
face,  and  proceeded  o.iuards,  c\er\  innnuiit 
tnrniiiL:  back,  as  if  to  M-e  \\hetlu-r  hi-  master 

followed.      Koningsmarhe  under-t-. .;>.!  all  this, 

and  proceeded  on  after  him,  until  the  sau'aciou> 
animal  led  him  directh  in  a  -traiuht  line  to  the 
villa 

A  hundred  -hont>  from  the  Lrood  jieople  of 
Elsirigburgh  hailed  hi>  return.  The  Heir  1'i- 
per  fell  on  hi-  neck  and  blc^ed  him;  while  lii- 


KOMNGSMARKE.  179 

pule  daughter,  after'  rushing  half  way  into  the 
room,  as  if  to  welcome  him,  suddenly  recoiled, 
and  fainted  away.  For  the  first  time,  did  the 
Heer  begin  to  suspect  the  state  of  his  daughter's 
heart ;  for,  although  the  mysterious  hints  of  the 
Snow  Ball,  together  with  some  occasional  sly 
innuendoes  of  his  long-headed  counsellor,  Wolf 
gang  Langfanger,  had  sometimes  set  him  think 
ing  on  the  subject,  he  was  always  called  off  to 
the  more  weighty  affairs  of  state,  before  he  could 
come  to  any  conclusion  on  the  subject.  But 
the  truth  flashed  upon  his  mind  at  once,  and 
his  conviction  was  followed  by  the  exclamation 
of  "  der  tevfcl." 

Now  the  Heer  was  a  warm-hearted  little  man, 
that  came  to  Ins  conclusions  somewhat  sudden 
ly.  He  liked  the  Long  Finne,  was  accustomed  to 
his  society,  and,  in  looking  around  the  village, 
could  see  no  one  worthy  the  hand  of  his  daugh 
ter,  or  of  being  son-in-law  to  the  Representa 
tive  of  Majesty.  After  reflecting  a  moment  on 
these  matters,  he  slapped  his  hand  smartl}'  on 
hi>  thigh,  and  pronounced,  with  an  air  of  deci 
sion,  u  It  shall  be  so." 

"  Long  Finne,"  quoth  the  Heer — "  Long 
,  dost  thou  lo\ei:iy  daughter  r" 


180  koMVfJSMARKr. 

"She  kno\v»  I  do,"  replied  the  youth,  ''morr 
than  my  life." 

"Christina,  m\  daughter,  my  darlinir,  conic 
hither,"  >aid  the  I  leer.  Chri>tina  approached 
her  lather,  pale  as  a  lily,  and  trembling  like  the 
a>pin  leaf. 

"Christina,  art  thou  Billing  to  be  the  wife 
of  this  youth  ?  Remember,  he  saved  thee  from 
death,  and  worse  perhaj)s  than  death." 

"  And  caused  the  death  of — "  muttered  Bom- 
bie  to  herself,  indistinctly,  and  without  being 
noticed. 

The  poor  girl  struggled  almost  to  dissolution ; 
the  paleness  of  death  came  over  her  ;  >hc  trem 
bled,  ;iml  Mink  on  a  ehair,  her  head  re-ting  on 
her  heaving  bosom.  The  Heer  approached, 
took  her  cold  hand,  aijd  said,  "  Answer  me,  my 
daughter  ;  wilt  thou  be  the  w  ife  of  this  \  outh  ?" 

"I  will,"  replied  >|ie,  m^iiiiLr  for  breath. 

"Then  join  \our  hand-."  >:iid  the  good 
Iher,  the  tear>  starting  from  hi>  eyes,  >k  and  re- 
reixe  tlie  bli-Jvin^  o{'  ;(  |'atl; 

"  And  the  rurse-  of  a  mother  !"  exclainx-d 
Bombie  of  the  Friz'/.led  l!e;i(i.  hobbled 

out  of  the  room. 

Chr  itched  her  hand  from  the  eager 

iingsmarke,  and  rushed  out  of  the 


KONINGSMARKE.  181 

Heer's  presence,  exclaiming  in  agony,  "  Oh, 
God  !  direct  me." 

"  Der  teufel  hole  that  infernal  black  Snow 
Ball,"  cried  the  irritated  Heer;  "what  means  the 
the  old  hag,  Long  Finne  ?" 

"  She  means — she  means — that  I  am — what  1 
pray  God  thou  mayest  never  be,"  answered  the 
youth,  and  staggered  out  of  the  room. 

"  Der  teufel  is  in  ye  all,  I  think,"  muttered  the 
Heer  Piper,  and  proceeded  to  eat  his  breakfast, 
out  of  humour  with  everybody,  and  particular 
ly  with  himself.  It  will  generally  be  found,  that 
a.  person  in  this  state  of  mind,  at  length  concen 
trates  his  ill  humour  upon  some  particular  ob 
ject  ;  and  accordingly  it  happened  that  the  Heer, 
by  tracing  up  effects  to  their  causes,  discovered 
that  all  the  mischiefs  of  the  morning  originated 
in  Cupid's  having,  as  we  before  stated,  enticed 
away  the  Long  Finne's  dog.  Whereupon,  he  or 
dered  him  a  sound  flogging,  at  the  hands  of  Lob 
Dotterel.  As  the  stripes  of  Boadicea  whilome 
produced  a  rising  of  the  ancient  Britons,  so  did 
those  of  Cupid  bring  forth  results  which  were 
long  afterwards  felt  by  the  good  people  of  El- 
singfourg. 


BOOK  FOURTH. 


BOOK  FOURTH, 


CHAPTER  I. 

As  HI  STORY  receives  a  great  portion  of  its  dig 
nity  and  importance,  not  from  the  magnitude  of 
those  events  which  it  records,  but  from  the  rank 
and  consequence  of  the  personages  that  figure 
in  the  great  drama  of  the  world,  so  in  like  man 
ner  doth  every  work  of  fiction  depend  upon  the 
same  cause  for  its  interest.  Every  word  and 
action  of  a  legitimate  monarch,  for  instance,  i& 
matter  of  infinite  moment,  not  only  to  the  pre 
sent  age,  but  to  posterity ;  and  it  is  conse 
quently  carefully  recorded  in  books  of  history. 
If  he  take  a  ride,  or  go  to  church,  it  is  con 
sidered,  especially  the  latter  event,  such  a  rarity 
that  nothing  will  do  but  it  must  be  set  down  in 
the  chronicles. 

Hence  the  vast  advantages  accruing  to  an 
author  from  a  discreet  choice  of  his  character?, 

roi,  i.  16 


KONIN6SXA1 


nhoso    notions,  provided  they  are  persons 
proper  rank,  may  he  both  vulgar  and  insignili 
••ant.   without   either   tiring    or    di-^u-tini:    the 
reader.     The  hero,  provided  he  be  right  royal. 
or  even  noble,  may  turn  his  palace  into  a  bro 
thel,   or  commit  the   most     paltry     mean> 
es,   without    losing     his     charaoter:    and     tin 
heroine,   if    she  be    only    of    sufficient     rank, 
may,  by  virtue  of  her  prerogative,  swear  like  a 
fisherwoman,  without  being  thought  in  the  1 
\uluar.      The   most   delicate   and   virtuou- 
male,  properly  imbued    with    a  taste  for  tin 
tempore   historical  no\el.    does  not  mind   beinu 
introduced,  by  a  popular  author,  into  the  compa 
ny  of  -trumpets,  pimps,  and  their  dignified   em- 
plovers  uho-e  titles  and  patent.-  of  noliility  U'IM 

them  the  privilege  of  doing  things  that  would 
•li-u'race  the  vulgar,  who,  poor  souls,  have  no 
way  of  becoming  toleraoK  respectable,  but  by 
conforming  to  the  oommon  deceneie-  of  life.  So 
al-o.  a  Duke  of  Buckingham,  a  Sir  Charles  Sed- 
U\\ ,  or  any  other  distinguished  per-on,  histori 
cally  witty,  may  be  made  by  an  author  :i - 
M'.thit.  and  \ulgar  in  his  conversation-,  a-  the 
-aid  author  himself,  who  puts  the  \\ord-  into  hi- 
mouth,  and,  ton  to  one,  the  reader  \\ill  think  he  i- 
on  the  ((uinte--en«-f  of  refmrd  wil 


KONIN'GSMARKE.  1  *' 

and  humour.  A  Sheffield  may  be  made  to  talK 
about  his  titled  mistresses  to  his  valet,  as  if  In 
were  the  lowest  bully  of  a  brothel ;  and  yet  read 
ers,  who  would  shrink  with  disgust  from  the  latter, 
will  chance  to  admire  the  former,  simply  from  the 
difference  between  the  rank  of  the  two  persons. 
.Vot  to  multiply  particular  instances,  we  may  lay 
it  down  as  a  general  rule,  that  the  dignity  of 
actions,  the  refinement  of  morals,  and  the  sharp 
ness  of  wit,  is  exactly  in  proportion  to  the  rank 
and  quality  of  the  characters  to  whom  they  ap 
pertain. 

For  the  reasons  above  stated,  we  here  take 
special  occasion  to  remind  the  reader,  that  most 
of  our  principal  characters  are  fully  entitled,  by 
their  rank  and  dignity,  to  the  privilege  of  being 
dull  and  vulgar,  without  forfeiting  his  respect  or 
admiration.  The  Heer  Piper,  though  not  ac-  i 
tually  a  king  himself,  is  the  representative  of  a 
kiiiu.  He  also  held,  or  at  least  claimed,  sovereign 
sway  over  a  space  of  country  as  large  at  len- 
Great  Britain,  and  was  as  little  subject  to  an\ 
laws,  except  of  his  own  making,  as  the  HUM 
mortal  tyrant  in  Christendom.  We  see,  tli< n  - 
fore,  no  particular  reason  why  he  may  not  be 
to  swear,  without  being  thought  indr 


KOMNGSMARKK. 

'  em,  a.-,  well  as  Elizabeth,  lf;irry  the  Fourth,  or 
;iiiy  otiicr  swearing  potentate  on  record. 

We  also  claim  the  benefit  of  sublimity  for 
the  effusions  of  Bombie  of  the  Frizzled  Head ; 
^  ho,  as  before  stated,  was  the  wife  and  daughter 
of  an  African  monarch,  superior  in  state  and 

iity  to  any  European  legitimate;  becau-e 
he  could  actually  sell  his  subjects,  whereas  the 
latter  are  only  entitled  to  pick  their  pockets.  If 
it  be  objected  that  she  is  a  slave,  we  would  ob- 
-•Tve,  that  this  misfortune,  this  reverse  of  fate, 
only  render-  her  the  more  sublimely  interesting, 

\liibitingin  her  person  an  awful  example  of 
the  uncertainty  of  all  human  grandeur.  Kin-- 
tnd  queens  have  often  been  bought  and  sold; 

.as   a  kinir   of  Cyprus    was  once  publidv 
••\hibitedfor  sale  in  the  market  of  Rome,  so  ma\ 
it  possibly  happen,  before  some  of  OUT  readers 
•lie,  that   other-,  of  the  race  which  has    so  lout; 
ln!iiin<  .red   over    mankind,     may    be    made    to 
exhibit   example-  equally   -inking,  of  the  muta 
bility  of  fortune.      We  caution  our  reader-   al-o 
(o   bear  in  mind,  that   that  likely  fellow    Cupid 
l-o  a  portion  of  the  blood  royal  in  his  veins, 
the  effects  of  which,  we  trust,  will  be  strikin-Jv 

iplified  in  the  ronr>e  of  this  history. 
If,  after  all,  the  reader  should  object  that  thi- 


KONINGSMARKE.  189 

. 

i>  more  secondhand  royalty,  and  be  inclined  to 
pronounce  the  awful  condemnation  of  vulgarity 
upon  us  and  our  book,  we  here  take  this  oppor 
tunity  to  pledge  ourselves,  in  the  course  of  a  few 
succeeding  chapters,  to  introduce  some  genuine 
legitimate  monarchs,  full-blooded,  and  with 
pedigrees  equal  to  that  of  a  Turkish  horse,  or 
the  renowned  Eclipse  himself,  meaning  not, 
however,  to  detract  either  from  the  merits  of 
Mr.  Van  Ranst  or  his  horse,  by  this  latter 
assertion. 


16* 


rilAl'TKR  11. 


•  t  ions'     All  com i 
iratorsof  Rome, 
uus,  and  Cicero, 
t  of  them  all." 


_ 
Trow    the    laughing,  jolly     spring    In  can 

-oiiH'times  to  -how  her  buxom  fart-  in  tin 
bright  morning;  but  ever  and  anon,  meeting 
the  angry  frown  of  winter,  loath  to  resign  hi- 
rough  sway  over  the  wide  realm  of  nature,  she 
would  retire  again  into  her  southern  bower. 
Vrt,  thonirh  her  visits  were  at  first  but  short, 
her  very  lm>k  seemed  to  exercise  a  magic 
influence.  The  buds  began  slowly  to  expand 
their  close  winter  folds  ;  the  dark  and  melan 
choly  wood-  to  assume  an  almost  impercepti 
ble  purple  tint;  and  here  and  then- a  little  chirp- 
blue-bird  hopped  about  the  orchards  of 
Clsingbnrgh.  Strip>  of  fresh  green  appeared 
along  the  brooks,  now  released  from  their  ic\ 
fetters:  and  nests  of  little  var'n-irated  flowers, 
nameless,  yet  richly  deserving  a  name,  sprung 
npin  the  sheltered  recesses  of  the  leafless  wood-. 


KONINGSMARKE.  191 

By  and  by,  the  shad,  the  harbinger  at  once  of 
-pring  and  plenty,  came  up  the  river  before  the 
mild  southern  breeze ;  the  ruddy  blossoms  of 
i  he  peach-tree  exhibited  their  gorgeous  pagean 
try  ;  the  little  lambs  appeared  frisking  and 
gamboling  about  the  sedate  mother  ;  young,  in 
nocent  calves  began  their  first  bleatings  ;  the  cack 
ling  hen  announced  her  daily  feat,  in  the  barn 
yard,  with  clamorous  astonishment ;  every  day 
added  to  the  appearance  of  that  active  vegetable 
and  animal  life,  which  nature  presents  in  the  pro 
gress  of  the  genial  spring;  and  finally,  the 
flowers,  the  zephyrs,  the  warblers,  and  the 
maidens'  rosy  cheeks,  announced  to  the  eye,  the 
oar,  the  senses,  the  fancy,  and  the  heart,  tho 
return,  and  the  stay  of  the  vernal  year. 

But  the  sprightly  song,  the  harmony  of 
nature,  the  rural  blessings,  and  the  awakened 
charms  of  spring,  failed  to  bring  back  peace  or 
joy  to  the  bosom  of  our  blue-eyed  maid.  Every 
heart  seemed  glad  save  hers ;  and  the  rose*- 
grew  every  where  but  on  the  cheek  of  Christina. 

Yet,  however  interested  we  may  be  for  tho 
repose  and  happiness  of  that  gentle  girl,  w<- 
are  compelled  to  lose  sight  of  her  for  a  wliile, 
in  order  to  attend  to  matters  indispensable  to  the 
progress  of  our  history. 


KON  Ki:. 

At  the  period  of  which  we    are    writing,  the 

whole   of   both   hunks   of  the    Delaware,    from 

the   Hoarkill,  now    Lewiston,   to   Elsingburgh, 

ite  of  nature.     The  country   had 

i  granted  by  different  monarchs  to  different 
JK  rsons,  who  had,  from  time  to  time,  purchased 
•  »f  the  1ndi:in>  larire  tracts  of  country,  of  which 
l)iit  a  very  inconsiderable  portion,  just  about 
their  forts,  was  cultivated.  Above  Elsing- 
hurgh.  was  the  -ettlement  of  Coaquanock,  on 
the  -aine  >ide  of  the  Delaware ;  and  higher  up 

Chviioos   and  the  Falls  settlement,  where 

iton  now  stands.  Beyond  this,  establish 
ment*  had  been  formed,  and  small  vill 
built,  at  Elizabeth-Town,  Bergen,  Middletown. 
Shn-«-biiry.  Amboy,  and  perhaps  a  few  other 
^ilacf-.  ^'ith  little  exceptions,  all  the  settlers 
dwelt  in  villages  for  their  security  against  the 
fndians,  having  their  farms  scattered  around, 
\\hifh  they  cultivated  with  arms  in  their  liand<. 
In  the  intermediate  spaces,  between  these 
di>tant  settlements,  re>idi-d  various  small  tribes 
<>f  Indians,  who  sometimes  maintained  friendly 
relations  with  their  new  neighbours,  at  other^ 

mitted  depredations  and  murders.  The 
early  settlers  of  this  country  were,  perhaps,  as 
••\tranrdiiiary  a  race  of  people  as  ever  existed. 


.KONINGSMARKE.  193 

Totally  unwarlike  in  their  habits,  they  ventur 
ed  upon  a  new  world,  and  came,  few  in  numbers, 
fearlessly  into  the  society  and  within  the  power 
of  a  numerous  race  of  savages.  The  vir 
tuous  and  illustrious  William  Penn,  and  his 
followers,  whose  principles  and  practice  were 
those  of  non-resistance,  and  who  held  even 
self-defence  unlawful,  trusted  themselves  to  the 
wilds,  not  with  arms  in  their  hands,  to  fight  their 
way  among  the  wild  Indians,  but  with  the  olive 
branch,  to  interchange  the  peaceful  relations  of 
social  life.  There  was  in  these  adventurers 
generally,  a  degree  of  moral  courage,  faith, 
perseverance,  hardihood,  and  love  of  indepen 
dence,  civil  and  religious,  that  enabled  them  to 
do  with  the  most  limited  means,  what,  with  the 
most  ample,  others  have  failed  in  achieving. 
We  cannot  read  their  early  history,  and  dwell 
upon  the  patient  endurance  of  labours  and 
dangers  on  the  part  of  the  men,  of  heroic  faith 
and  constancy  on  that  of  the  women,  without 
tooling  our  eyes  moisten,  our  hearts  expand 
with  affectionate  admiration  of  these  our  noble 
ancestors,  who  watered  the  young  tree  of  liber 
ty  with  their  tears,  and  secured  to  themselves 
und  their  posterity  the  noblest  of  all  privilr. 


KOMNGSMARK)  . 

that  of  \vor.-hippinir    (iod    according    to  thcii 

i  the  price  of  their  blood. 

TKe  character  of    tin-   Indian    nations,    which 
inhabited  these  portion-  of  the   country,  and  iu- 

I  that  of  all    the  \ariou>  tribe-    (,f 
in  .\orth  America,    \va-    pretty   uniform.      Like 
all  ignorant  people,  the\  \\e,-e  \er\  -njx-rstitiou-. 

When  llie  M|-,.;H   coniet   appeared  in    U>M>. 
ehein    \\as  a>ked  \\hat  lie  thought  of  its  appear 
ance.      ••  It  M'jnilie^."  >aid  he,  "  iliat  \\  e  Indian- 
-liall    melt    away,    and  thi-  cniintry  ho  inhabited 
by  another  people."       They  had  a  ^reat    \ene- 

>n   for    their  ancient    \mr\  iim-eronnd.-  ;    anil 
\\henan\oftlieirfriend-orrelati\fs   died    at    a 

a    di>tance,    wonld    brinir    bi-    bon«  -    to   be 

interred  in  the    ancient    cemetery  of  the  tribe. 

Xothing,  in    after    time-,     excited  a  deeper  ven- 

ii-t    the    \\hite    people,     than    their 

plontrhinir  r.j>the  Liround  \\  here  the  bone-of  their 

fathers  had  been  deposited.     When  \\ell  treated, 

:id  and  liberal  to  the  -tranuer- ;  but 

\\eienaturallv   re-er\ed.    apt  to  resent,  to  ron- 

•  eal  their    re.-entment,  and  retain  it  a  Ion-  time. 

Um  their  remembrance  of  benefits  \\a>  emiall\ 

tenacious  and  tl  -  <  >t  the  oblitration- 

.•f  hospitality. 


KOMNGSMARKE.  195 

An  old  Indian  used  to  visit  the  house  of  a 
worthy  farmer  at  Middletown  in  New-Jersey, 
uhere  he  was  always  hospitably  received  and 
kindly  entertained.  One  day  the  wife  of  the 
farmer  observed  the  Indian  to  be  more  pensive 
than  usual,  and  to  sigh  heavily  at  inten 
She  inquired  what  was  the  matter;  when  he  re 
plied,  that  he  had  something  to  tell  her,  which, 
if  it  were  known,  would  cost  him  his  life.  On 
being  further  pressed,  he  disclosed  a  plot  of  tin 
Indians,  who  were  that  night  to  surprise  the 
village,  and  murder  all  the  inhabitants.  "I 
tie.vt-r  yet  deceived  thee,"  cried  the  old  man  ; 
•;  tell  thy  husband,  that  he  may  tell  his  white 
brothers ;  but  let  no  one  else  know  that  I  have 
i  thee  to  day."  The  husband  collected 
the  men  of  the  village  to  watch  that  night. 
\bout  twelve  o'clock  they  heard  the  war-whoop; 
Ijut  the  Indians,  perceiving  them  on  their  guard, 
consented  to  a  treaty  of  peace,  which  they  never 
Afterwards  violated. 

Their  ideas  of  justice  were  nearly  confined 
f<>  the  revenging  of  injuries  ;  but  an  offender  who 
u  a-  taken  in  attempting  to  escape  the  punish 
ment  of  a  crime,  submitted  to  the  will  of  hi> 
tribe,  without  a  murmur.  On  one  occasion,  a 
•  •liief  named  Tashyowican  lost  a  sister  by  the 


1%  KONINGSMARKE. 

small-pox,  the  introduction  of  which  b\  tla 
whites  was  one  great  occasion  of  the  hostility  of 
the  Indians.  "  The  Maneto  of  the  white  man  ha- 
killed  my  sister,"  said  he,  "  and  I  will  go  kill  the 
white  man."  Accordingly,  taking  a  friend  with 
him,  they  set  upon  and  killed  a  settler  of  the  name 
of  Muggins.  On  receiving  information  of  this 
outrage,  the  settlers  demanded  satisfaction  of 
the  tribe  to  which  Tashyowican  belonged,  threat 
ening  severe  retaliation  if  it  were  refused.  The 
Sachems  despatched  two  Indians  to  take  him. 
dead  or  alive.  On  coming  to  his  wigwam, 
Tashyowican,  suspecting  their  designs,  asked  if 
they  intended  to  kill  him.  They  replied,  "  no — 
but  the  Sachems  have  ordered  you  to  die.1' 
"  And  what  do  you  say,  brothers  ?"  replied  he. 
"  Wt-Miy  you  must  die,"  answered  they.  Ta>li- 
yowican  then  covered  his  eyes,  and  cried  out 
"  kill  me,"  upon  which  they  shot  him  through 
the  heart. 

Piv\iou-  to  their  intem»ur>e  with   the  white>, 

had  few  vices,     as    their    state    of  socie- 

tnrnished    them    with     few     temptatioin  ; 

and    these     vices    were     counterbalanced    b\ 

many  good,  not  to  say  great  qualities.     But,  by 

<•!<  trrer-,  they  afterwards  became  corrupted  b\ 

that  universal  mr>e  of  their  race,   spirituous  li- 


KONINGSMARKE.  19" 

the  seductions  of  which  the  best  and 
greatest  of  them  could  not  resist.  It  is  thi» 
which  has  caused  their  tribes  to  wither  away, 
leaving  nothing  behind  but  a  name,  which  will 
soon  be  forgotten,  or,  at  best,  but  a  miserable 
remnant  of  degenerate  beings,  whose  minds  are 
debased,  and  whose  forms  exhibit  nothing  of  that 
tall  and  stately  majesty  which  once  characteri 
sed  the  monarchs  of  the  forest. 

But  the  most  universal  and  remarkable  trait 
in  the  character  of  the  red-men  of  North  Ame 
rica,  was  a  gravity  of  deportment,  almost  ap 
proaching  to  melancholy.  It  seemed  as  if  they 
had  a  presentiment  of  the  fate  which  awaited  them 
in  the  increasing  numbers  of  the  white  stran 
gers  ;  and  it  is  certain,  that  there  were  many 
traditions  and  prophecies  among  them,  which 
>eemed  to  indicate  the  final  ruin  and  extinc 
tion  of  their  race.  Their  faces  bore  the  expres 
sion  of  habitual  melancholy  j  and  it  was  observ 
ed  that  they  never  laughed  or  were  gay,  except 
in  their  drunken  feasts,  which,  however,  gene 
rally  ended  in  outrage  and  bloodshed.  The 
little  Christina  always  called  them  THE  SAD 
PEOPLE;  and  the  phrase  aptly  expressed  their 
peculiar  character. 

It  is  little  to  be  wondered  at,  if  two  races  of 

VOL.  i.  17 


men,  so  totally  distinct   in  habits,  manner-. 
intere-t.-,  and  withal   objects  of  mutual  jealor 
-u-picion  and  fear,    should   be  oftener    enemies 
than  friends.      K\.r\   little   -insularity  ob-t  . 
in    the  actions    and  deportment    of  each  other. 
accordins-|\   sa\e  ri-e  to  suspicion,  often  follow 
ed    b\   outrage;    and  every  little  robbery    com 
mitted  on  the  property    of  either,    u 
to  the   other  parts,  >o    that    the    history  of  tin-n 
early   intercourse  with  each  other,  is  little  other 
than   a   narrative  of  bickerings  and  bloodshed. 
Thus  they  continued,  until   it    finally   happened 
in  the  new,  as   it    hath   alwav>    happened  in  the 
old  world,  that  the"  wi-ewhite-n;  da  final 

mined  it  to  his  pdfteriu  . 

About  the    period    to    which   our   hi.-tory    ha- 

11OW  brought  us,  there  e\i-led  c<  ;i-iderahle  mi-- 

under-landing1  between  the  lleer  Piper  and    the 

Mbouring    tribes.      A    mill    had    been    built 

mouth  of  the    little  river,  which  h< 

dammed   aero.--,  the  shad  and  herrings,   which 

'•d  the  principal  portion  of  their  food  at  thi> 

MI,   could  no  '  i  the  -tream  into 

the  interior  of  the  country,  where  the    Indian- 

..une    in  the  -prin^    to   fi-h.      -4'he   Indian-   bad 

likewise    drank    up    the     liquor.    «  \\ .< mled     the 

powder,  and  worn  out  the  watch-coats  the\    lead 


KONINGSMARKE.  10l.» 

received  for  a  large  territory  they  had  sold  to 
the  Swedish  government ;  and,  as  usual  on  such 
occasions,  began  to  be  sick  of  their  bargain. 
The  Sachems  also  complained  that  Dominic 
Kanttwell  had  been  tampering  with  some  of 
their  people,  and,  in  attempting  to  teach  them 
to  be  good  Christians,  had  only  taught  them  to 
drink  rum,  and  made  them" bad  Indians. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  Heer  Piper  charged 
them  with  trespassing  on  the  rights  of  his 
Swedish  Majesty,  by  hunting  on  the  lands  ceded 
by  them  in  fair  purchase.  He  also  hinted  his 
suspicions  of  a  design  on  their  part  to 
surprise  the  town  of  Elsingburgh,  which 
suspicion  he  founded  upon  some  mysterious 
hints  of  the  Snow  Ball,  who  of  late  had  given 
vent  to  certain  inexplicable  obscurities.  Dominie 
Kanttwell,  too,  was  horribly  out  of  humour,  in 
consequence  of  having  been  sorely  puzzled  in 
argument,  not  long  since,  by  a  sly  old  Sachem 
whom  he  attempted  to  convert  to  what  he  as 
sured  him  was  the  only  true  faith.  The  old 
Sachem  listened  till  he  had  done,  it  being  their 
custom  never  to  interrupt  any  person  in  speak 
ing,  and  then  replied  with  great  gravity : — 

"  Brother,  you  say  your  religion  is  the  only 
true  religion  in  the  world.  Good.     I  have  been 


,200  K.ONINGSMARKE. 

in  Canada,  and  there  they  told  me  theirs  wri 
the  only  true  religion.  Good.  I  have  been  at 
Boston,  where  they  assured  me  the  religion  of 
the  people  of  Canada  was  the  religion  of  the 
bad  spirit,  and  that  theirs  was  the  only  triu 
one.  Good.  I  have  been  at  the  Manhattans 
where  they  called  the  white  people  of  Boston 
bad  people,  and  said  they  had  no  religion.  Good. 
I  have  been  at  Coaquanock,  among  the  Big 
Hats,  and  they  told  me  the  religion  of  the  Man 
hattans  was  not  the  right  sort.  Good.  I  am 
here,  and  you  say,  brother,  ours  is  the  only  good 
religion,  and  you  must  believe  like  me.  Good. 
Hut  brother,  which  am  I  to  believe?  You  say. 
all  of  you,  that  the  good  book  out  of  which  you 
preach  is  what  you  all  take  for  your  guide, 
and  that  it  is  written  by  the  Great  Spirit  him- 
M-lf.  yet  you  all  differ  among  yourselves.  Now, 
brother,  hear  what  I  have  got  to  say.  As  soon 
mi  shrill  ajrrer  among  yourselves  which  i- 
ihe  true  religion,  I  -hall  think  of  joining  you. 
Good." 

To  explain  these   apparent   contradictions  to 

the  capacity  of  a  man  of  nature,  was  out  of  the 

tion.     Indians  cannot  comprehend  metaphy- 

-i<  ;il  >ubtiltie>.  and  the  religion  calculated  for  a 

of  society  like  theirs,  must   be  composed 


KONINGSMARKE.  201 

"['  the  most  simple  elements.  However  this  may 
be,  the  Dominie  resented  the  obstinacy  of  the 
old  Sachem,  and  actually  talked  of  converting 
the  savages  with  fire  and  sword.  The  Heer, 
however,  preferred  calling  a  conference  with 
some  of  the  Chiefs,  who  were  accordingly  sum 
moned  to  meet  the  Representative  of  the  Swedish 
Majesty,  at  a  spot  about  four  miles  from  Elsing- 
burg,  on  the  bank  of  the  little  river  to  which 
we  have  so  often  alluded  in  the  course  of  this 
history. 

The  place  selected  for  this  meeting  was  a  lit 
tle  flat  in  a  curve  of  the  river,  which  was  here 
about  twenty  yards  wide,  clothed  with  majestic 
elms  and  sycamores,  standing  at  various  distan 
ces  from  each  other,  and  without  any  underwood. 
The  greensward  extended  to  the  edge  of  the 
stream  on  one  side,  and  on  the  other  rose  a  lofty 
barrier  of  rocks,  clothed  with  gray  mosses,  and 
laurel  bushes,  now  just  exhibiting  their  pale  pink 
blossoms.  The  precipice  was  crowned,  at  its 
summit,  with  a  primeval  growth  of  lofty  oaks 
that  waved  their  broad  arms  beyond  the  rocks, 
and  partly  overshadowed  the  stream,  which,  a 
little  onward,  wound  between  two  high  hills  and 
disappeared. 

To  this  sequestered  spot  came  the  Heer  Piper, 
17* 


KOMNGSMARKf  . 

>mpanied  by  the  Long  Finne,  Doinini« 
Kanttwell,  the  tru>ty  Counsellors  of  Elsingburi;. 
••therwiih  divers  men,  women,  and  children, 
drawn  thither  by  curiosity,  and  whom  the  tru>t\ 
and  indefatigable  Lob  Dotterel  kept  in  order. 
i)\  dint  of  making  more  noise  than  all  the  re-t. 
Here,  too,  came  ten  or  a  dozen  of  the  monarch- 
of  the  new  \\orld,  whose  names  and  titles,  trail- 
lated  inlo  Kimli-h,  equal  those  of  the  most  loft\ 
and  legitimate  kings  of  the  east.  Tliere  cam*- 
the  IJiu  •  Buffalo,  the  Little  Duck  Legs,  the  Sharp 
the  Walkinir  Shadow,  the  Rollim: 
Thunder,  the  Iron  Cloud,  the  Jumping  Sturireon. 
the  Hells  Ach.  and  the  Doctor,  all  legitimate 

Aith  copper  rin^s  in  their  in 
blanket  robes  of  state,  and  painted  facet.  T!ie-< 
n<  re  accompanied  by  a  train  of  inferior  chief- 
and  warriors* who  seated  them-elvr*  in  >ilener. 
in  a  half  circle,  on  one  side  of  the  little  plain. 
On  tli''  riuht  iit'  tin  -e  sat  tl'.e  KiiiL:>,  their  bodie- 
t'u -ward  in  a  posture  to  listen,  and  their 
!)lanl\et-  drawn  «  ,  ound  their  .-hdidder-. 

which,  when  occasionally  «>pened,  tin- 

dt-adly  tomahawk  and  >calpiny   knife. 

On   the   opposite   side,  upon  a  little  natural 

18  phuvd  a  bench,  or   tribune,    f«n 

Piper  and  hi<  -uitf.    The  Heer  on  thi- 


KONINGSMARKF..  2().'i 

occasion  was  dressed  in  his  uniform  as  a 
Swedish  officer,  which  he  wore  under  the  Great 
Gustavus,  and  had  on  a  sword,  given  him,  as  he 
Hiiirmed,  by  that  Bulwark  of  the  Protestant  Faith, 
as  a  reward  for  certain  great  services,  which 
Governor  Piper  declined  to  enumerate,  except  on 
new-year's  eve,  and  other  remarkable  epochs. 
The  Rolling  Thunder  produced  a  long  pipe, 
ornamented  with  died  horse  hair,  porcupine's 
quills  variously  coloured,  and  many  enormous 
•  !< 'vices.  Having  lighted  it,  he  took  a  whiffor 
two,  handed  it  to  the  next,  and  thus  it  passed 
completely  round  the  circle,  till  both  white- 
men  and  red-men  had  partaken  in  tin 
solemn  rite  of  peace.  The  Rolling  Thunder 
then  bowed  gracefully  to  the  Heer,  and  waved 
his  hand  in  token  that  they  were  ready  to  hear 
him.  Governor  Piper  rose,  and  his  speech  wa- 
from  time  to  time  translated  by  an  interpreter. 
"  Delnwares,  Minks,  Mingoes,  Muskrats, 
and  Mud  Turtles,  listen !"  said  the  Heer. 
feeling  all  the  dignity  of  his  situation  as  the 
representative  of  a  king,  addressing  an  assem 
blage  of  kings. 

"You  have  behaved  badly  of  late  ;  you  ha\<- 
-old  lands,  and   taken    them   back    airain.  after 


KONINGSM\l(Ki:. 

\uu  had  shot  away  your  powder,  emptied  \on: 
tobacco  boxes,  and  drank  your  rum. 

"Delaware-,  Minks.  Minuses,  Muskrnts 
and  Mud  Turtles,  li-ten  ! 

••  You  '_n>w  \\or-e  every  day,  notwithstand 
ing  the  trouble  \\e  take  to  make  yon  better  : 
you  uet  drunk  and  Jiirht  each  other  with  kni\r-. 
in-lead  of  embracing  like  brothers.  Thi-  i- 
wicked,  and  the  (i  real  Spirit  will  punish  \ou. 
Uefore  many  moon-  are  pa:--ed  away,  people 

«ill  ask  wkat  has  become  of  the  Delaware-,  the 

Mintioes,  and  the  rest  of  the  red-men  '".  and  the 
an-uer  >hall  be,  they  ha\e  bc:-n  consumed  in 
liquid  fii 

"Delaware.-,  .Mink-,  Minuoe-,  Mnskrat-  and 
.Mud  Turllr-.  li-ten  ! 

"  You   lia\e  reiu-edto  heaAllOSe  wllOlll   I 

amoii'j-t  \ou,  to  teach  yon  the  worship  of  the 
true  CJreut  Spirit,  who  i.>  ani^ry  \\illi  \ou,  andha> 
the  -mall-pox  to  punish  \oiir  ob-tinac\ . 
\ "on  ha\e  hunted  on  the  white-man'-  iiround, 
and  broke  down  the  dam  1  c-ui>ed  to  be  bnill 
>-.-  the  river,  that  \\ e  miulit  urind  our  corn, 
and  >aw  board.-  to  build  our  houses.  These 
some  of  the  tliinu.-  1  wi-hed  to  talk  to  you  about. 
The  (Jreal  Sjiirit,  I  tell  \ou,  i-  antcry,  and  your 
sreat  father,  acro-s  the  big  lakc  yonder,  will 


KONINGSMARKE.  205 

take  vengeance.  Let  me  hear  what  you  have- 
to  say." 

The  red  kings  heard  this  harangue  in  dead 
silence,  and  waited  a  little  while  to  see  if  the 
Heer  had  done  speaking.  The  Rolling  Thunder 
then  rose,  and,  throwing  back  his  blanket,  so  as  to 
bare  his  shoulder  and  red  right  arm,  spoke  a* 
follows,  beginning  in  a  low  tone,  and  gradually 
becoming  more  loud  and  animated  : — 

"  Long  Knife  !  The  strong  liquor  was  first 
brought  among  us  by  the  Dutch,  who  sold  it  to 
us,  and  then  tolcl  us  we  must  not  drink  it;  they 
knew  it  was  for  our  hurt,  yet  they  tempted  us  to 
buy  it. 

"  Long  Knife  !  The  next  people  that  came 
among  us  was  the  English,  who  likewise  sold  us 
strong  liquors,  which  they  blamed  us  afterwards 
for  drinking.  The  next  that  came  were  the 
Swedes,  your  people,  and  they  too  sold  us 
-trong  drinks.  All  of  you  knew  they  were 
hurtful  to  us,  and  that  if  you  let  us  have  them, 
\ve  would  drink  them,  and  become  mad.  AVr 
drink,  abuse  one  another,  and  throw  each  other 
into  the  fire.  Six  score  and  ten  of  our  people 
have  been  killed  by  their  own  brothers,  in  tin-so 
mad  fits  of  drinking.  Who  i-  to  blame  foi 
this : 


KONINGSMARRE. 


Knife  !  You  say,  that  after  we  ha\< 
made  away  with  the  price  of  our  lands  we  conic 
there  and  hunt  on  them  as  if  they  were  our 
own.  We  sold  you  the  land,  and  the  trees  upon 
it,  but  we  did  not  -dl  the  fowls  of  the  air,  and 
the  beasts  of  the  forest.  These  belong  to  th<>-< 
who  h;ive  courage  -and  skill  to  catch  them. 
The  Lonir  Knivc>  don't  know  how  to  hunt  an\ 
more  than  women.  You  say,  too,  that  we  have 
destroyed  the  dam  which  you  made  across  the 
liver  to  urind  your  corn.  This  spring,  when 
we  were  looking  out  for  the  fish  to  come  up  the 
i  her  as  they  used  to  do,  none  came,  and  our 
women  and  children  were  near  starving.  We 
came  down  to  >ee  what  was  the  matter,  and 
loimd  the  fish  could  not  get  up  your  dam.  M>  we 
destroyed  it.  You  tell  n>  that  men  should  do 
as  they  would  be  done  b\  .  Wh\  then  did  you 
depri\e  us  offish,  that  you  might  grind  your 
•  urn  : 

"  Long  Knife  !  We  have  listened  to  the  Do 
minie's  talks,  and  tried  to  understand  them,    but 
we  cannot.     The    Great    Spirit    has   given    thr 
red-men  one  mind,   and   the  \\hite-mrii  another. 
When  you  bargain  with  u-  lor  three  bea\er  si 
you  will  not  take  one   lor  three  ;  yet   you  > 
0  believe  that  three  Great  Spirits  make 


KONINGSMARKE.  207 


one    Great  Spirit.     We    can't  understand  this. 
Is  that  our  fault  ? 

"  Long  Knife  !  You  say  we  grow  worse  and 
worse  every  day,  and  that  the  Great  Spirit  will, 
in  his  anger,  sweep  us  from  the  face  of  the  earth. 
We  know  this,  for  already  our  numbers  are 
Crowing  less  and  less  every  day.  The  white- 
man  is  the  fire  which  is  lighted  in  the  woods, 
and  burns  up  the  leaves,  and  kills  the  tall  trees 
of  the  forest.  We  shall  perish,  or  be  driven  be 
fore  it,  till  we  come,  to  where  the  sun  sets  in  the 
irreat  salt  lake  of  the  West,  and  when  we  can 
no  no  further,  there  will  soon  be  an  end  of  our 
race.  If  such  is  the  will  of  the  Great  Spirit,  \\  • 
t  annot  help  it ;  if  it  is  not  his  will,  you  cannot 
make  it  so. 

"  Long  Knife  !  I  have  answered  you  :  no\\ , 
hear  me.  You  came  here  as  strangers,  but  few 
in  number,  and  asked  us  for  a  little  piece  of  land 
for  a  garden — we  gave  it  you.  By  and  by, 
you  asked  for  more,  and  it  was  given.  When  \\< 
were  tired  of  giving,  you  purchased  of  us  tnvai 
tracts  of  country  for  tobacco  boxes  ami  rum. 
The  tobacco  boxes  and  rum  are  gone,  and  \on 
have  the  land.  Is  it  any  wonder  that  \\« 
;irc  angry  at  being  made  fools  of,  and  wish  to 
have  our  lands  back  again?  Every  day  tlir 


KONINGSMAK 

white-man  comes,  and  pu-lie-  tin-  Indian  lartln-. 
and  farther  hack  into  the  wood?,  where  then-  arc 
neitlier  fish  nor  oysters  to  eat.  I-  i»  an\  won 
der  that,  when  we  are  imm_r\.  u<-  fall  into  bad 
humour*  and  hate  the  white-men  ?  The  Domi 
nie  tell-  us  that  you  have  a  right  to  otir  countn  . 
because  we  don't  make  fence-,  plough  up  the 
-round,  and  irrow  rich  and  happy,  like  \  our  pro- 
pie,  in  their  own  country.  If  they  were  so  hap 
py  at  home,  I  don't  see  why  the\  came  here. 

"  Long  Knife  !  We  would  like  to  be  friend- 
with  you,  but  you  are  a  bad  people  ;  you  have 
two  faces,  two  hearts,  and  two  tongues;  you 
tell  u<  one  thing,  and  you  do  another  :  a  red- 
Mian  never  lies,  except  w  hen  you  have  made  him 
drunk  ;  what  he  says,  lien  ill  do  ;  he  never  cr< 
61  hi-  track.  You  came  here  as  friends,  but  j 
have  been  our  worst  enemie- ;  you  brontrhi 
us  strong  drink,  small-pox  and  lies  :  go  home 
again,  and  take  these  all  hack  with  you.  We 
\\ould,  if  possible,  be  u  v. .  once  were,  before 
you  came  amongst  us.  Go  !  leave  us  to  om 
\\ood-.  our  water-,  our  ancient  customs,  and  our 
ancient  ^>-<\-.  If  the  Great  Spirit  wishes  us  to 
ploudi  the  land,  sell  rum,  and  become  Christians, 
lit-  can  do  it.  But  the  means  you  take  will 
onlv  brintr  these  things  about,  when  there 


KONINGSMARKE.  J0(.» 

will  be  nothing  left  of  the  red-men  but   their 
name,  and  their  graves." 

When  the  Rolling  Thunder  ceased,  Dominie 
Kanttwell  arose  and  made  a  speech,  which, 
however  zealous  and  well  meant,  only  served  to 
exasperate  the  red  kings.  He  treated  their  an- 
rient  belief  with  scorn  ;  insulted  their  feelings 
of  national  pride  ;  scoffed  at  their  modes  of 
thinking  and  acting ;  and  drew  a  mortifying 
contrast  betwixt  the  ignorant  barbarian  roam 
ing  the  woods,  and  the  white-man  enjoying  the 
comfort  and  security  of  civilized  rife.  The  sur 
rounding  Indians  began  to  murmur ;  then  to 
gnash  their  teeth,  and  finally  many  of  them, 
starting  up,  seized  their  tomakawks,  and  uttered 
the  war-whoop.  The  Heer  and  his  party  were 
now  in  imminent  danger  of  falling  victims  to  the 
fury  of  the  moment.  But  the  Rolling  Thun<l>r 
arose,  and,  waving  his  hand  for  silence,  spoke  <i- 
follows  : — 

"  Red-men  ! — hear  me  !  The  Long  Knivo 
came  here  in  peace,  so  let  them  depart.  Let 
us  not  imitate  their  treachery,  by  taking  advan 
tage  of  their  confidence  to  destroy  them.  Be 
hold  !  I  here  extinguish  the  pipe  of  peace ;  I 
break  the  belt  of  wampum,  that  was  the  symbol 
of  our  being  friends,  and  dig  up  the  buried 

VQI,    j.  18 


-H>  KOMM.^MARKK. 

tomahawk.  We  art-  friends  no  move. 
Knife,  go  hence  in  peace  to  day,  but  to-morrow 
count  the  red-men  thy  mortal  foes.  Before 
another  moon  is  past,  look  to  see  me  auain." 
He  then  bared  his  arm,  and,  drawing  his  knife. 
>turk  it  into  the  fleshy  part.  The  blood  -pouted 
forth,  as  he  exclaimed,  "  For  every  drop  thai 
now  falls  to  the  trround  there  shall  be  counted 
one,  two,  three,  ay,  four  victims,  from  the  nc-i 
of  the  serpent." 

The  red  Kinir-  then  slowly  moved  oil',  fol 
lowed  by  their  people,  who  cradiudly  dis 
appeared,  yellinir  the  war-whoop,  and  chanl- 
inir  bloody  sonirs,  till  at  length  their  \O'HT-  died 
•may  in  the  rece>ses  of  the  IOIT-I.  The  alarmed 
and  irritated  Ilecr  muttered  to  hini-elf "  Fer- 
jlnchr  mid  n  rdttmt  sfy  dcine  sclur(irz>  tul*.'' 
.nid,  together  with  his  train  returned  trloomv 
and  di<sati-fied  to  his  villaire  of  Ekingburgh. 


CHAPTER  III. 

1  The  spit  that  stood  behind  the  door, 
Threw  the  pudding-stick  down  on  the  floor ; 
Odsplut !  says  the  gridiron,  can't  you  agree  ? 
I'm  THE  HEAD  CONSTABLE,  bring 'em  to  me." 

LIKE  the  old  war-horse,  when  he  snuffs  the 
-rent  of  war,  and  hears  the  shrill  fife,  the  braying 
trumpet,  and  the  thrilling  drum,  the  Heer  Piper 
now  felt  the  spirit  of  the  ancient  follower  of  the 
great  Gustavus  reviving  within  him,  even  a> 
the  snuff  of  an  expiring  lamp  or  candle  ;  the  lat 
ter  being  rather  the  most  savoury  comparison. 
He  inspected  his  palisades,  scoured  his  patte- 
reroes,  victualled  his  garrison,  and  exercised 
»hr  villagers  in  practising  the  deadly  rifle. 
Every  day  he  invested  himself  in  his  cocked  hat, 
invincible  sword,  and  tarnished  regimentals, 
and  strutted  about  with  a  countenance  so  full  of 
undaunted  valour,  that  the  very  women  and 
little  children  slept  soundly  every  night,  save 
when  a  troop  of  howling  wolves  approached  the 
^  illage  under  cover  of  darkness,  and  waked  them 


-1-  -UHKE. 

with  the  apprehension  of  an  attack  of  the    In 
'lians,  led  on  by  the  Rolling  Thunder  himself. 
whose  very  name  w  as  enough  to  alarm  a  whole 
regiment  of  militia. 

One  of  the  most  provoking  things  which 
mortal  man  encounters  in  this  spiteful  world,  i- 
that  of  taking  a  vast  deal  of  trouble  to  provide 
'n>t  ;i  danger  which  never  arrives.  Yd 
nothiivg  is  more  common  than  to  see  people 
laying. op  treasures  they  never  live  to  enjoy: 
providing  against  rxigrncie-.  llr.it  ne\er  happen: 
md  sacrificing  present  ease,  pleasure,  and  en 
joyment,  only  to  guard  against  the  want- 
period  that  the\  never  live  to  see. 

It  would    almost    serin    that    fate    delialit-     n- 

,ify  the  pride  of  human  wisdom,  hy  exhibit- 

..iiple-..  ho\v  often  the  most  jratcb  fa! 

prudence  is  either  idly  employed  in    guarding 

i  n>t  evils  that  never  come,  or  in  vainly  attempt 

.  ade  the   con-,  that  do  ; 

.viiile.  on  the  oilier  hand,  the  mo>t  daring  disregard 

ilcnlalion-  of  the  future i- often  coupled  with 

:ilO-t  pro-peroil-  -Ui'Ci'Sx.   \\  e  wonld  LI\  ••  thai 

!d  of  fan«  \ .  uh'n-li  i-  tlie  only  \\orld  to  which 

\ve  i'  'lif  (piill  fan  lay  an\  po-iti\r  elaim. 

•*\e    to    deride  the    question    hduivt   the 

!i\e  pro-pen-  of  a  person  of'  extraordinary 


KONINGSMARKE.  213 

prudence,  and  no  prudence  at  all.  Possibly, 
however,  the  course  of  our  history  may  thro\* 
some  light  upon  this  matter. 

More  than  a  fortnight  elapsed,  amid  the  din  of 
preparation,  and  the  vigilance  of  watchful  alarm, 
without  any  appearance  of  the  Rolling  Thunder 
and  his  painted  warriors.  Every  day  the  Heer 
talked  and  strutted  more  loftily  than  the  day 
before,  and  boasted  more  confidently  of  the 
sound  drubbing  he  would  give  these  galgen 
schivenkels,  if  they  dared  to  attack  his  fortress 
of  Elsingburgh.  But,  alas  !  that  man  should 
always  be  passing  from  one  extreme  to  another, 
from  the  fearfulness  of  apprehension,  to  the  fool- 
hardihood  of  unbounded  carelessness.  Finding 
the  Indians  did  not  come  as  soon  as  he  expected 
them,  the  good  Heer  at  length  persuaded  himself 
they  would  not  come  at  all,  though  he  ought  to 
have  known  that  the  race  of  the  red-men  never  for 
get  either  a  benefit  or  an  injury.  He  accordingly 
remitted  his  vigilance  by  degrees,  and  put  his 
fortress  upon  the  peace  establishment,  in  spite  of 
the  singular  and  myst«-rioii>  warnings  of  the 
Frizzled  Head.  That  declamatory  oddity 
now  more  vehement  in  her  incomprehensible 
denunciations,  never  meetj::g  the  Heer  without 
uttering  some  dismal  raven's  note. 


,'H  KONINfiSMAKKK. 

"  Sleep  on,  till  thou  wake^i    no  more."  cried 
-he  ;  "  dream  till  tliy  dreaming*  end  in    wakiiiL 

-  :  and  believe  that  what  i-    not    will    never 
be." 

"  What  meanest  thou,  thou  eternal  mill-clap 
per  r"  would  the  Heer  reply  :  "  away  with  ti 
.uul  either  speak  what  thou  knowest,  or  hold  th\ 
tongue.      What  knowest   thou  ?  der   teitfrl  hoi' 
I." 

••  I  know  what  I    know — 1  could  tell  what    I 
will  not  trll — 1  could  save  those    1  lo\«-,  ;ii    tin 

of  losing  those  that   I  love  >till   better." 
••Confound  thee   for  a  iniuidle-pated.   rrack 
lirainedSnow  Ball,"(juoth  the  Heer;  \\hile  Bom 

of  the  Frismled  Houd  iroald go  in  search  of 
that  likely  fellow  Cupid,  her^rand-on.  \\lio  t-\er\ 
.use  more  mood\   and  unumcrnable,  and 
now  spent  more  thanhalfhis  time  wandering  about 

with  lii>  dou  in  the  \\  ood-.      The>e  \\\  o  were  oli- 

i-d  to  have  fronient  fonler»-nee>  together,   in 

\\hicll   Boillhie     sonu-tinn  -  -et'inrd  unuls   ;i!_it:i- 

:   but  the  subject  of  their  di>cu><ion>  ua-  uoi 

•  \MI,  a-  tin  \   excited  little  interest. 
\Vhit>untide  came,  and  with  it  a  hundred  rural 

|iriurhtlv  merr\- makings.  The  bux- 
»m  la— c-;,  \\itli  uau'«t  gear,  and  cheeks  redder 
Inn  tho  r«  Mnpaiiied  by  many  a  ru^- 


K.ONINGSMARKE. 


vical  and  barbarous  Cory  don,  hied  forth  to  tin- 
\voods,  in  search  of  Pinckster  apples,  or  to  pla\ 
at)iide-and-seek  among  the  blossoms.  The  boys, 
and  lads  who  were  yet  too  young  to  think  of 
sweethearts,  were  gathered  together  in  a  large 
level  common,  just  without  the  village,  pursuing 
such   various   sports  as  inclination  led  them  to 
prefer.     In  one  place,  a  party  of  lusty  lads  were 
playing  at  ball,  having  for  audience  some    half 
u  dozen  black  fellows,  who  applauded  with   ob 
streperous  admiration  any  capital  stroke  or  feat 
in  running.     Elsewhere,  a  party  not  quite   old 
enough  to  be  admitted  among  the  others,  were 
iinusing    tfiemselves  in  pairs,  by   striking  their 
respective  balls  from  one  to  the  other.     A  third 
set  were  shooting  marbles ;  a  fourth  firing  little 
lead  cannons  ;  a  fifth  setting  off  ascotches,  as  thes 
are  'yclept  in  boyish  parlance;  a  sixth  was  pla\- 
ing  at  chuck-farthing,  with   old  buttons  without 
eves;  ;i  M'vmthrollinginthe  dirt;  and  an  eighth, 
making  dirt  pies.     In  short,  there  was  no  end  u> 
the  diversity  of  sports  ;    it  was  holyday,  and  all 
were  happy   as   noise  and  freedom  could  make 
them. 

The  only  drawback  upon  the  pleasures  of 
these  merry  and  noisy  wights,  was  the  presence 
of  that  busybody  Lob  Dotterel,  the  high  con- 


JH>  KONINGSMARKE. 

-table  of  Elsingburgfa,  who  never  saw  a  knot  of 
people,  great  or  small,  making  merr\  together, 
that  lie  was  not  in  the  thickest  of  them,  making 
mischief  and  raising  -port,  b\  wliat  lie  wa- 
plea-ed  to  denominate  keeping  the  peace.  \Ve 
-hould  ha\e  mentioned  before,  that  among  the 
plans  adopted  by  the  Heer  and  hi>  trusty  coun 
cilors  for  improving  tin-  police  of  KUingburgh, 
was  that  of  pa--iii!j.  laws  for  tlie  prevention  of 
various  amusements,  which  children  have  prac- 
ii-cd  from  time  immemorial,  and  which  are  as 
much  their  riuht,  as  any  of  tfre  immunities  which 
men  enjoy  under  the  common  law.  If  Lob 
Dotterel,  who  was  always  on  the  look-out. 
brought  information  that  a  hor>e  had  thrown 
hi>  rider  in  con>e(juence  of  beiim  frightened  b\ 
a  pa]>er  kite,  a  law  wa>  forthwith  enacted  to 
forbid  that  danuerou-  and  unlawful  practice  : 
if  an  old  woman  chanced  to  have  her  petticoat 
Hiiued  by  the  explosion  ofanascotch,  an  ordi- 
nance  ua-  -traiirhtway  fulminated  atiain>t  the>f 

•dent  fireworks  ;  and  so  on  till  the  urchin-  ot 
the  village  were  gradually  so  hemmed  in  bylaws, 
that,  ifthe\  had  paid  any  attention  to  these  enact- 

its.the  little  ro.L!ue>  would  hardly  have  had  an 
amusement  or  a  play  that  was  not  unlawful. 
Like  man\  modern  legislator-  of  the  pn 


KONINGSMABKE.  21? 

lime,  a  single  fact  was  sufficient  ground  for 
passing  half  a  dozen  great  wordy  laws,  which, 
after  all,  nobody  obeyed.  These,  for  the  most 
part,  lay  dormant,  like  a  great  spider  in  the 
recesses  of  his  web,  until  the  zeal  of  some 
Lob  Dotterel  would  sally  out  upon  some  little 
buzzing  fly  of  a  boy,  who  had  chanced  to  gel 
entangled  in  their  mazes. 

It  was  amazing  to  see  the  bustling  activity  of 
Lob,  on  this  occasion  of  the  sports  of  Whitsun 
tide.  If  two  little  fellows  happened  to  fall  out 
in  playing  at  marbles,  or  chuck-farthing,  and 
proceeded  to  settle  the  dispute,  by  an  appeal  to 
the  law  of  nature  ;  or  if  a  hubbub  was  raised  in 
any  part  of  the  field,  that  indefatigable  officer 
dashed  in  among  them;  and  wherever  he  came, 
there  was  an  awful  silence,  till  he  was  called 
10  some  other  quarter,  to  quell  another  riot, 
when  his  departure  was  announced  by  a  renewal 
of  the  fight  and  noise.  Never  was  poor  man 
in  such  a  worry ;  and  never  did  poor  man  get 
so  little  for  his  pains,  as  Lob  Dotterel, 
who  might  be  said  to  be  in  the  predicament 
of  certain  great  conquerors,  or  rather,  of  certain 
legitimate  monarchs,  of  the  present  day,  who. 
tin-  moment  they  have  quelled  an  insurrection 
in  one  part  of  thrir  territories,  arc  straightway 


KONINGSMARKK 

called  to  another  for  the  like  purpose.  Vari 
ous  were  the  tricks  put  upon  the  High  Consta 
ble.  At  one  time,  they  pinned  a  dishclout  to 
the  bottom  of  his  coat,  with  which  he  marched 
about  for  a  time,  unknowing  of  this  appendage 
to  his  dignity  ;  at  another,  they  exploded  an 
ascotch  under  his  tail ;  and  at  a  third,  they 
pelted  him  behind  his  back  with  a  shower  of 
dirt  and  missiles  of  various  kinds.  It  was  in 
vain  that  he  turned  round  to  punish  the  de 
linquent,  for  at  the  instant,  the  fry  dispersed 
like  a  flock  of  birds,  and  others  attacked  hi> 
rear  with  some  new  annoyance.  Never  man 

in  authority  was  SO  baited  mid  wm-ried  in  tilt 
.  -\ercise  of  his  office  as  Lob  Dotterel,  who 
finally  quitted  the  field,  distrusted  with  official 
diirnity,  leaving  the  small  fry  of  Elsingburgh 
to  play  at  ball,  shoot  marbles,  fly  kite-, 
chuck  farthings,  roll  in  the  dirt,  and  furl  n 
I'oiiuh  and  tumble,  uninterrupted,  all  day  long. 
Towards  sunset,  the  Heer,  who  had  a  certain 
nidi'  .out  him  that  caused  his  heart  to 

curvet  and  caper  at  the  -'i!_rht  of  human 
happines^,  <  ;ime  out  with  hom  M  Lndwig  Var- 
lett,  who  sympathised  in  Mich  Mmrt>  a-  ilie>e,  to 
renovate  his  age  with  a  sight  of  the  hi-u  iram- 
l>o|s.  While  thus  employed,  he  was  assailed 


KONINGSMA.RKE.  219 

the  Frizzled  Head,  who  hovered  near  him,  and 
poured  forth  a  more  than  usual  quantity  of  in 
comprehensibilities.  Sometimes  she  addressed 
the  Heer,  and  at  others,  turning  towards  the 
sportive  groups,  she  would  apostrophize  them  in 
seeming  abstraction. 

"  Yes,"  muttered  she,  "  yes,  sport  away,  ye 
grasshoppers,  that  die  dancing  and  singing  !  The 
cricket  chirps  in  the  hearth  when  the  house  is  on 
fire  ;  the  insect  sports  in  the  noonday  sun,  and 
dreams  not  of  the  coming  midnight  frost  that 
lays  him  stiff  and  cold." 

Then,  turning  to  the  Governor,  she  would  ex 
claim,  with  earnest  energy — 

"  Heer  !  Heer  ! — Thou  seest  the  sun  going 
down  yonder  in  the  west ;  take  heed  lest  you  ne 
ver  see  it  rise  again.  Remember  that  danger 
eomes  like  a  thief  in  the  night,  and  that  the  pe 
rils  of  sleep  are  greater  than  those  of  waking. 
To-morrow — who  knows  which  of  us  shall  see 
to-morrow? — to-morrow  we  may  be, like  y» 
day,  a  portion  of  eternity.  Remember,  and  de 
spise  not  thy  last  warning  !" 

The  sun  went  down  ;  the  chilly  dews  damped 
the  grass  and  the  hilarity  of  the  sportful  groups. 
that  gradually  broke  away  and  returned  to  the 
village. 


-'-'"  KONINGSMARKE. 


All  that  evening  Bombie  seemed  to  hovev 
about  her  master,  as  if  impelled  by  some  inscru 
table  impulse,  and  seemini:  tn  \\i-h  to  -ay  what 
>he  dared  not  utter. 

"  Der  teufel  hole  rhVA,"  -aid  the  Heer  at  last  ; 
"  What  wouldst  thou  ?  I  believe  thou  hast  swal 
lowed  too  much  liquor,  and  art  drunk." 

"The  spirit  moves  me,"  she  slowly  replied. 
"  but  it  is  not  that  spirit  which  i>  the  curse  <>i 
our  race  and  thine." 

"  Then  let  it  move  thee  to  talk  so  as  to  be  un- 
drr-tood  ;  -ay  out,  or  say  nothing,  thou  croak 
ing  raven." 

"  Yes — I  am  the  raven  whose  notes  forebode 
and  ton-warn  :  whm  the  rax  en  croak-,  let  the 
mortal  at  who>e  \\iiido\\-lic  |]iittcr>  In-ware; 
when  l>ombie  croaks, do  tliou  too  beware,  Heer." 

«'  Of  what  ?" 

••(  )f — I  cannot  tell.   To  save  the  blood  ol'tlio>. 
u-lio  have  been  kind  to  me.  at    lea»t  xmietiines,  1 
>hould  -lied     blood    that     runs   in   the    veins  of 
the  only  beinoj  that  claim--   kindred  with  me     in 
thi-  \\ide  world.      Heer,    \    have    warned   thee, 
A  ell.   When  thou  nearest  the  murderous  yell. 
the  dvintr  -hriek,  the  shout  of  triumph,  and  the 
,1'mtr  flames,  blame  not  me. — Farewell  ! 

So  saying,  she  slowly  retired,  and  he  saw  her 


KONINGSMARKE. 

no  more.  The  Heer  pondered  for  a  moment  on 
her  strange  warnings ;  but  he  had  been  so  ac 
customed  to  her  wild  and  wayward  talk,  that  the 
impression  soon  passed  away.  He  retired  to 
rest,  and  was  soon  in  his  usual  profound  sleep, 
the  result  of  good  health  and  a  good  conscience. 


TOL.  J. 


CHAPTER  1\. 


The  wolf  inn!  in  ^t  night, 

Aye  seeking  bloody  prey  ; 

•  nl  \\  hitc. 

Hut  h: 

The  Ilubbinz  - 


XK.HT,  that  gives  to  the  honest  man  rest,  and 
rouses  the  rogue,  the  wolf,  and  the  owl,  to  their 
predator\  labours,  now  held  her  quiet  sway 
over  the  peaceful  inhabitant-  of  tin-  village. 
The  vigilant  sentinel-,  whose  turn  it  was  to 
watch  at  the  gates  of  the  palisades  which  >ur- 
rounded  the  })lace,  \\ere  fa-t  asleep  at  their 
po>t>,  like  their  legitimate  -ucce-.-or-,  the  trusty 
watchmen  of  New-York  and  Philadelphia;  and 
nothinu'  disturbed  the  repo-e  of  midn'mht  hut  the 
barking  of  some  sleepless  curs,  ba^inir  each 
other  from  afar.  \'  '  B  -'»nl  \\a-  auake  in  the 
villaiie  »a\e  the  m\>terion>  Fri/.y.led  Head,  who 
wandered  about  from  the  kitchen  to  the  hall,  and 
back  again,  nmtteriiiL',  and  mumbling  her  in 
comprehensible,  disjointed  talk.  Suddenly  -be 


KOMNGSMARKE. 

-topped  before  the  great  clock,  and,  contempla 
ting  it  for  a  moment,  exclaimed,  "  The  hour 
is  almost  come.  Now  is  the  time,  or  never. 
I  may  yet  save  my  master  and  his  child  without 
betraying  my  own  blood." 

So  saying,  she  hobbled  up  to  the  chamber  of 
the  Long  Finne,  and,  shaking  him  till  he  awoke, 
exclaimed,  "  Arise,  Koningsmarke  ;  the  wolves 
are  approaching.  Awake,  or  thy  sleep  will  last 
for  ever." 

"  What  of  the  wolves  ?"  answered  he,  rubbing 
his  eyes  ;  "  are  they  abroad  to  night  near  the 
village  ?" 

"  Yes,  the  wolves  that  carry  the  tomahawk 
and  scalping  knife,  that  devour  not  the  innocent 
lambs,  but  drink  the  blood  of  thy  race.  Ere 
half  an  hour  is  passed  away  you  will  hear  the 
Rolling  Thunder  rattling,  not  in  the  clouds,  but 
ut  thy  door.  Quick,  arm  thyself,  and  awaken 
the  people  that  sleep  on  the  brink  of  the  grave. 
Be  quick,  I  say  ;  tho  Indians  are  out  to-night." 

Koningsmarke  dressed  himself  hastily,  seized 
a  sword  and  a  rifle,  and  sallied  forth  to  alarm 
the  village  ;  while  Bombie  went  and  roused  the 
Heer,  who  bestowed  upon  her  his  benediction, 
for  thus  disturbing  his  slumbers.  When,  ho\\- 
over,  lie  was  av-mvd  by  the  Frizzled  Head,  who 


KOIUNGBMAJUU  , 

lor  once    condescc  nded  to  he   explicit,   that 

abroad,  lie  hastily  dressed  himself 

in  his  cocked-hat  and  rustx  regimentals,  eirded 

-vvu:d.    and    hastened    to    perform    the 

duties  of  his  station.     But   ere  half  the  men  of 

the  villa.  dressed,  the  great  clock m tbe 

palace  hall  -truck  twelve,  and  at  that  moment 
H  horrible  yell  that  rose  from  every  quarter, 
announced  that  the  place  was  surrounded  by  the 

'.  arrinr-.  That  yell,  which  the  adven 
turous  founders  of  the  new  world  were,  alas  ! 
-tomed  to  hear,  roused  all  but  the 
•  lead,  and  in  a  little  time,  women  and  children 
\\ere  runnincr  about,  \\ailing'  and  shrieking1  in 
all  direction*.  All  now  was  confusion,  noise  and 
hon  till  the  hardy  -pints  of  the  villa, 

did  not  \ield  to  despair.  K\  cry  man  waited  at 
his  jtd-t.  and  e\«-n  the  women  and  children 

•d\   to  liiiid  the  ^-iins.  ami  hand  them  to 

The    little    \illa-:e   of  KL-inu-hur-rh  was   built 

C  to  the  i:  part    of  the  en- 

trenchinent.    which  con.-isted  of  thic-k  pali-ade-. 

Q1     fourteen      tei  I     hiiill,     \\itl)    loop-hole>     at 

for    lirinir   upon  a»ailants,  and 

-tron';l\  fa-teiu  d   tu   i\\o  IMW-  (•('  beams    in  the 

imi'  .'h  i<>.-ii-t  treenails,    was    immer>fd 


HONING  SMAKKE.  ~  2  •"> 

in  the  water  four  or  five  feet  at  high  tides. 
Here  the  fishing  boats  belonging  to  the  villa 
gers  were  drawn  in  ever^y  night,  to  secure  them 
against  theft,  or  injury  frohi  any  quarter.  This 
side  of  the  village  being  in  Some  degree  pro 
tected  by  the  river,  the  Indians  bent  all  their 
efforts  to  set  fire  to  the  palisades,  and  force  the 
iiate,  which  looked  towards  the  country. 

Led  on  by  the  Rolling  Thunder,  the  Indians 
assailed  the  gate,  where  fought  the  valiant  Heer, 
seconded  by  Koningsmarke,  and  others  of  the 
stoutest  of  his  people,  with  all  the  arts  with 
which  their  limited  modes  of  warfare  furnished 
them.  They  essayed  to  set  the  gate  on  fire,  by 
piling  dry  brush  and  wood  against  the  outside  ; 
but  the  women  and  children  brought  water, 
which  was  handed  to  those  who  ventured  upon 
the  upper  beams  we  have  described,  who 
threw  it  upon  the  flames,  and  extinguished 
them  from  time  to  time.  Several  times  did 
the  fire  catch  to  the  dry  palisades,  and  as 
often  was  it  put  out,  by  the  unremitting 'exertions 
of  those  inside.  The  valiant  Elsiugburgben 
kept  up  an  incessant  fire  through  the  loop-holes; 
but  the  obscurity  of  the  night  prexentcd  their 
taking  deadly  aim,  although  now  and  then  :. 
yell  announced  that  a  shot  had  taken  ».•  fleet. 
19* 


KONINGSMARKE. 

lialiled  in  thrir  attempts  to  fire  the  pali- 
ilie  now    brought    large   stone-,    and. 

piling  them  up  against  the  outside,  attempted 
(Voni  thence  to  climb  to  the  top,  and  thus  jump 
into  the  area  within.  Hut  the  marksmen  \ 
on  the  watch,  and  the  moment  of  the  appearance 
of  a  head  above  the  palisades,  was  the  signal 
of  death  to  the  assailant.  The  Indians  ha\i- 
little  perseverance  in  war,  and  soon  become  dis 
couraged  by  resistance.  Their  efforts  now 
ln-iin  to  Hat:  ;  when,  all  at  once,  an  explosion 
from  the  little  magazine  where  the  powder  \\  as 
deposited,  announced  to  the  horror  struck 
\illagers,  that  their  great  means  of  defence  was 
annihilated  in  one  instant.  A  i:roan  from 
within,  and  a  shout  from  without  tlie  defen 
annouiM cd  the  de-pair  of  the  wliite-men,  and 
the  triumph  of  the  sa\ ; 

The  gallant  Heer.  perrci\inir  now  that  all 
\va-  lo>t,  and  that  the  da\ 'light,  that  w  as  now  just 
peering  in  tin-  east,  windd  witness  tin1  maoacn- 
of  himself,  liis  dauirhter,  and  his  people,  motion- 
f.l  to  KonincsmarUe  to  go  and  open  the  pate 
toward-  the  river,  prepare  the  boats,  and  embark 
(he  women  and  children,  with  all  possible  speed, 
while  he  himself  attempted  still  to  make  good 
the  defence  of  tin1  western  uate.  With  silent 


KOMNGSMARKE.  227 

celerity  these  orders  were  obeyed,  and  Konings- 
inarke  returned  in  a  few  minutes,  to  say  that  all 
was  ready.  "  Go  now,"  said  the  Long  Finne, 
"  while  Ludwig  Varlett,  Lob  Dotterel  and  I, 
make  a  stand  here,  until  you  are  safe."  "Der 
teufel,"  quoth  the  Heer,  "  go  thou — I  must  be 
the  last  man  that  deserts  his  post ; — away.'* 
"  Nay,"  said  the  other,  "  you  are  old,  and 
cannot  run  like  us  ;  remember  thy  daughter, 
thy  only  daughter.  If  thou  shouldst  perish, 
who  will  protect  her  ?"  "  Thou,"  said  the 
Heer  ;  "  remember,  if  any  thing  happens  to  me, 
I  leave  her  as  my  dying  legacy.  Farewell  ; 
we  must  lose  no  more  time  in  disputing  who 
shall  go.  When  you  hear  a  gun,  come  speedily." 
The  Heer  and  the  rest  now  hastily  pursued 
their  way  towards  the  boats,  leaving  Konings- 
marke  with  his  two  companions,  to  make  a  last 
stand,  for  the  safety  of  their  poor  villagers. 
The  gate  was  now  in  a  blaze,  and,  being  bat 
tered  with  large  stones,  as  well  as  weakened  by 
the  fire,  began  to  break  and  totter  fearfully, 
when  the  signal  was  fired.  At  that  moment  the 
gate  fell  inward.  The  Indians  gave  a  shout,  and 
waited  half  a  minute  to  let  the  burning  cinders 
disperse.  That  half  minute  enabled  Konintrs- 
inarke  and  his  companions  to  gain  a  decisive 


KONINGSMARKE. 

advantage.  They  lied,  pursued  by  sonic  ol 
the  foremost  savages,  one  of  whom  seized  the 
queue  of  Lob  Dotterel,  who  luckily  wore  a  wii:. 
which  he  left  ill  the  hands  of  the  astonished  war 
rior  a>  a  trophy.  The  three  fugitives  jumped 
into  the  boat,  where  was  the  fair  Christina  and 
some  two  or  three  women  and  children,  and 
pushed  it  ofl'  after  the  others,  which  had  drawn 
oil' to  some  distance.  A  tall  Indian  rushed  into 
the  water  after  the  h-i  boat,  and  seized  hold 
of  the  gunwale  with  lii>  left  hand,  irra-pini:  hi> 
tomahawk  in  his  right.  Koning-mai  ke  has 
tened  to  the  bow  with  his  sword,  and  with  a 
well-aimed  blow  cut  oil'  the  hand  that  detained 
the  boat.  The  il  her  by  the 

oilier,  which  wa-  cut  off  at  the  same  instant  by 
ftoningsmarke.  The  Indian  yelled  with  rage 
and  fury,  and,  a-  the  last  ellbrt  of  despair,  -e'r/.ed 
by  the  side  of  the  boat  with  his  teeth,  where  he 
maintained  hi-  hold,  till  hi>  head  w  a-  -i-\  er»  d 
from  his  body,  and  he  fell  dead  into  the  blood- 
d\ed  water-. 

Hut  hi>  efforts  were  fatal  to   the   part\    in  the 
boat.  b\  •  nabliiej  several   otiier  Indians  to  fusti 
into    the    ri\er    and  -e!/i-  her   at  \arit)ii-  point-. 
"  M-d.i'    no    further    re-istancc,  :n;d    \oiir  1 
will  ' 


KQNINGSMARKE. 

the  voice  of  the  Frizzled  Head  from  the  shore. 
Christina,  in  this  moment  of  terror,  threw  her 
white  arms  around  Koningsmarke,  and  conjuretl 
him  to  listen  to  the  warning.  Reluctantly  he 
yielded  ;  the  boat  was  drawn  ashore,  and  the 
party  made  prisoners  by  the  Indians,  among 
whom  appeared  that  likely  fellow  Cupid,  who 
was  now  seen  for  the  first  time,  during  the 
whole  of  this  eventful  night.  Bombie  kissed 
the  hand  of  her  young  mistress,  while  the  tears 
rolled  down  her  withered  cheeks,  and,  turning 
to  the  Long  Finne,  exclaimed  with  solemn 
earnestness,  "  The  lamb  is  committed  to  thee  as 
its  shepherd  ;  prove  not  a  wolf  to  devour  it, 
but  watch  by  day  and  by  night ;  let  not  thine 
eye  wink,  or  thine  ear  close  for  a  moment,  but 
watch,  watch,  watch,  like  the  stars  that  never 
sleep.  Be  faithful,  and  the  spirit  of  tho>  sainted 
mother  may  yet  forgive  the  preserver  of  the 
daughter."  Koningsmarke  placed  his  hand  on 
his  heart,  lifted  his  eyes  to  heaven,  and  then 
bowing  to  the  earth,  replied  in  a  low  voice,  "  So 
help  me  God." 

Scarce  had  the  boats  which  held  the  fugitives 
of  EKingburgh  rowed  out  of  the  reach  of  the 
savago>,  when  a  cloud  of  smoke  rose  on  the  bo 
som  of  the  night,  succeeded  by  an  hundred 


J  5U  KONIKGSUARK.K. 

ri>ini:  wreaths  of  fire,  that  announced  tho  swift 
destruction  of  the  homes  ol' the  poor  villager-. 
They  ^at  in  their  boats  wcepinir  and  wringing 
tlicir  hands,  as  one  by  one  the  roofs  fell  in,  and 
the  bla/.ing  cinders  flew  aloft  in  showers  of  glit- 
terinu  atoms. 

The  good  Heor,  who  was  unconscious  that  a 
still  heavier  calamity  had  fallen  on  his  aged  head. 
viewed  with  silent  sorrow  the  destruction  of  hi- 
little  nestling  place,  which,  in  his  hours  of  proud 
anticipation,  he  had  pictured  as  the  future 
capital  of  a  vast  empire,  of  nhich  he  would  he 
hailed  a-  the  founder.  When  nothinir  re 
mained  of  the  village  but  the  ruins,  a  wild, 
shrill  whoop  announced  the  triumph  and  depar 
ture  of  the  savnce-.  \\ho.  ju-t  before  the  risin- 
ofthe.-un,  set  forth,  with  exulting  hearts,  for 
their  I 

As  the  day  arhanrr-l,  the  fugitives  ventured 
to  approach  the  [>lace  where  their  dwell- 
once  stood.  Slowly  and  cautiously  tlie\ 
neared  tii:>  shore,  and.  perceiving  no  traces  of 
the  Indians,  ventured  to  land  among  the  smokincr 
ruins.  Nothinir  remained  of  their  home-  but 
their  .ad,  like  the  I-  they  only  re 

turned  to  weep.  Each  had  >uiVered  in  common 
with  the  others,  and  while  <<ome  uttered  loud 


KON'INGSMARKE.  231 

exclamations  of  grief,  others  stood  stupified  with 
overwhelming  despair. 

But  the  unfortunate  Heer,  on  discovering,  for 
the  first  time,  when  they  came  to  the  shore,  that 
his  daughter  was  missing,  was  like  one  dis 
tracted.  He  ran  about  in  an  agony  of  sorrow, 
blaming  every  body,  accusing  every  one  of 
negligence,  and  himself  most  of  all.  Striking 
his  wrinkled  forehead,  he  cried  out — "  My 
daughter  !  Oh,  my  daughter  !  my  only,  my 
beloved  child,  where  art  thou  now  ?  Alas ! 
thy  bones  are  now  whitening  in  these  smoking 
ashes  ;  or  thou  art  a  wretched  captive  among 
eruel  savages,  who  will  not  spare  a  hair  of  thine 
innocent  head.  And  Koningsmarke  too  !  they 
have  perished  together,  and  would  to  God  I  had 
died  with  them." 

"  they  are  not  dead,"  cried  a  voice,  which 
innounced  the  presence  of  the  Frizzled  Head  ; 
"they  arc  not  dead;  they  are  carried  into 
captivity,  and  one  day  thou  mayest  perhaps  see 
thy  daughter  a^ain." 

"I  shall  die,."  replied  the  Heer,  "before  she 
romesback  to  me;"  and  he  tore  his  gray  hairs,  and 
would  not  be  comforted,  although  aunt  Edith 
assured  him  it  was  the  Lord's  doing,  and  there 
fore  it  was  sinful  to  repine. 


KOK&GBMAlUtC. 

"Alas!"'  ^aid  tlie  sorrowing  parent,  "the 
-ame  heini:  irave  me  an  only  daughter,  and  a 
father's  heart  to  love  her.  It  cannot  be  a  sin  to 
ueep  the  loss  of  what  he  pave  me."  Aunt 
Rdith  called  this  blasphemy,  and  began  to 
lecture  him  upon  the  wickedness  of  permitting 
poor  Christina  to  dance  and  sing.  But  he  heard 
her  not — he  stood  half  bent  in  the  stupor  of  over 
whelming  crief,  the  imaire  of  withered,  woful 
despair. 

Hut  that  salutary  necessity  for  exertion  which 
given  to  man,  not  as  a  punishment,  but  a 
-olace  and  an  eventual  cure  for  calamity,  did 
not  permit  the  poor  houseless  villagers  to  in 
dulge  in  the  idleness  of  grief.  Without  food 
and  shelter,  and  almost  out  of  the  reach  of  those 
kindly  offices  of  good  neighbourhood,  which,  in 
more  thickly  settled  countries,  soon  help  to  re 
pair  the  Midden  calamities  of  life,  they  must  de 
pend  on  their  own  resources  to  supply  their 
wants.  Accordingly,  like  the  indefatigable  hor 
nets,  who,  when  their  nest  is  demolished  by 
M-hoolbo\s,  -traightway  set  about  rebuilding  it 
again,  our  villagers  began  preparing  some  tem 
porary  shelter.  They  erected  bowers  of  the 
branches  of  trees,  and  mm:.1  'heir  beds  of  lea  . 
.-•  employed  themselve-  in  fishing,  others  hi 


KONINGSMARKE. 

hunting,  and  all  were  busy  even  unto  the  Domi 
nie,  who  went  about  comforting  the  people  with 
the  assurance  that  the  burning  of  the  village  and 
the  loss  of  their  friends  was  a  judgment  upon 
them  for  the  unseemly  sports  they  had  permit 
ted  their  children  to  indulge  in  at  Whitsuntide. 
But  it  was  observed,  that  those  who  most  stre 
nuously  supported  this  doctrine  when  the  judg 
ments  fell  upon  their  neighbours,  found  it  rather 
unpalatable,  now  that  they  themselves  shared 
in  the  calamity. 

Perceiving  this  to  be  the  case,  Dominie  Kantt- 
well  talked  about  turning  misfortunes  into  bles 
sings  ;  the  privations  of  the  body  to  the  fatten 
ing  of  the  spirit,  and  the  calamities  of  this 
world  into  rejoicings.  The  saints  of  old,  he 
told  them,  fasted  whole  days,  nay,  sometimes 
weeks,  in  voluntary  penance  ;  and  were  accus 
tomed  to  sleep  in  the  woods  or  open  fields,  only 
to  mortify  the  sinful  lusts  of  the  flesh.  But  for 
all  this,  the  Dominie's  house  was  the  first  that 
\\.t-  rebuilt;  the  Dominie  had  always  the  fat 
test  fish,  and  the  choicest  piece  of  venison ;  and 
before  the  village  was  half  rebuilt,  aunt  Edith 
went  round  with  a  subscription  to  purchase  him 
a  new  gown,  and  a  silver  watch,  that  he  might 
know  when  it  was  time  to  go  to  meetings. 

VOL.  i.  20 


K'.MV.-MARKI   • 

The  day  but  one  after  the  burning  of  the  \'\\- 

,  the  Heer  and  hi-  people  wen-  surpri:-ed  In 
'  \isitfrom  his   old  enemy,    Shadrach  Mon«  \ 
penny,  accompanied  by  a  good  number  of 
//'/?>-,  in  boats,  bringing  with  them  a  supply  of 
food,  boards,  timber,  and  other  necessaries,  to- 

•T  with  mechanics  to  assist  them  in  rebuild- 
in.;  iheir  houses.  All  these  were  sent  by  the 
i^ood  William  Penn,  who,  hearing  of  their  ca 
lamity,  had  opened — no,  hi>  heart  was  alway- 
Mpeu — had  -cut  them  thi>  timely  relief.  Shadrach 

not  quite  so  dry  and  stifi'  as  at  his  former 
vi-it,  and  \\hen  he  appeared  in  the  Heer's  }>re  • 

C,  paid  that  respect  to  his  misfortune- 
which  he  bad  refused  to  his  prosperity,  by  com- 

M  near  to  making  a  bow  as  his  canons  ol 
coiirte-y  would  permit. 

"Friend    Piper,"    quoth    Shadrach,  and   ihr 

,i  friend,  which  had  formerly  sounded  so  un 
couth,  was  now  grateful  to  the  ear  of  the  broken 
down  parent — "  Friend  Piper,  I  come  from  th\ 
neighbour  William  Pc-nn,  who  hath  heard  of  thy 
:in\fortime.,  and  sent  thee  the  little  he  can  spar, 
for  the  relief  of  thy  people." 

••  But  1  cannot  pay  for  these  things,  and  tin 
people  are  said  to  expect  payment  for  even 
thine. v 


KONINGSMARKE.  -3-J 

"Friend  Piper,"  replied  Shadrach,  "it  may 
be  that  when  our  people  make  bargains  in  the 
way  of  business,  they  are  earnest  for  payment  ; 
hut  when  they  administer  to  the  sufferings,  or 
contribute  to  relieve  the  calamities  of  their  fel 
low  creatures,  they  expect  not  to  be  repaid  in 
this  world.  William  Penn  freely  bestows  upon 
thee  what  I  have  brought ;  and  moreover,  bids 
me  tell  thee  he  will  send  to  the  Indians,  by  the 
first  opportunity,  to  seek,  and,  if  possible,  recover 
thy  lost  child." 

The  ancient  prejudices  of  the  Heer  against 
his  peaceable  neighbours  of  Coaquanock  now 
rushed  to  his  heart,  and  were  there  buried  for 
ever  in  a  flood  of  gratitude.  The  mention  of 
his  daughter,  combined  with  the  generous  gifts 
and  never  broken  promises  of  William  Penn, 
overpowered  the  old  father,  and  he  wept  aloud. 
When  his  emotions  had  somewhat  subsided,  he 
took  Shadrach's  hand  and  said,  "  Friend,  1 
cannot  thank  thee."  "  There  is  no  need,  friend 
Piper.  All  that  William  Penn  asks  of  thee,  is 
that  thou  wilt  believe  that  men  were  not  made, 
tike  the  beasts  of  the  forest,  only  to  shed  each 
other's  blood."  The  Heer  stood  corrected,  for 
He  remembered  the  sneers  he  had  thrown  out 


KONIN68W  \l:KK. 

•i.'i>t  iii>  peaceable  'ie'mhl>oui>,  tin-  Jfig  H<n* 
of  (  'oaijiianoek. 

Aided  by  the  irood  people  of  ('oa<|u;im>ck. 
whom  the  spirit  nio\ i-d  to  -croud  /.c.-dou-Iy  thr 
exertions  of  those  of  Elsingburgh,  that  village 
\\  ;i>  renewed,  ;uid  swarmed  nii-ain  like  a  bee-hive. 
The  Heer  and  hi?  people  loiiy  retained  a  urate- 
lul  recollection  of  the  U'mdiie>>  of  the  gr>od 
\\illiain  Penn,  \\itli  the  exception,  however,  of 
the  Dominie  and  aunt  Kdith,  who  \?ere  accus 
tomed  to  Ilout  all  irood  works,  and  to  despite 
l he  Kindoliicextf  all.  >a\e  tho-e  whom  the\  \\er« 
•d  to  demoniinate  the  diet. 


K    \oi.i  \H:    t 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  AT  LOS  ANGELES 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRAR 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stani|>ed  be 


OCT2072 


OfCll 

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DUE  2  WKS  FROM  DATE  RECZ 


Form  L9-8«ries  444 


